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Music

Music City not quite so shitty any more

Small victory: as of June 8, the City of Toronto will no longer fine music venues for postering.

A memo sent to the Toronto Music Advisory Council from Tracey Cook, executive director of Municipal Licensing and Standards, and Mike Tanner, music sector development officer of Economic Development and Culture, announced that Municipal Licensing and Standards is “immediately ceasing the issuance of tickets to music venue operators.”

The news suggests a welcome thawing of relations between City Hall and Toronto’s music community, which grew particularly chilly in mid-May when the Cadillac Lounge was issued a $490 fine after Big Tobacco and the Pickers put up posters advertising their album release show there on poles near the venue. Posters are only allowed on city-provided kiosks and message boards.

The memo states that the city, through its Toronto Music Advisory Council, wants to engage with the music community to address postering issues and find a strategy that “will respond to our collective responsibilities to the community and enable a more effective response to this issue.”

It also states that laying charges against music venues has been “neither efficient nor effective” in dealing with the issue.

As for next steps, Tanner will host a meeting between Municipal Licensing and Standards, the TMAC and other interested industry participants, with details to come. 

music@nowtoronto.com | @carlagillis

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