/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
City News

Rob Ford really, really hates graffiti (but likes smartphone apps)

By Monika Warzecha
Copy link
(Image: Martin Reis)
(Image: Martin Reis)

Roughly one year after Rob Ford began his war on graffiti in a St. Clair West alley, the mayor was back in Corso Italia with a high-tech weapon: a pair of smartphone apps. The apps, the first to be launched after Toronto’s open invitation to mobile app developers, allow residents to report graffiti to 311 Toronto by snapping a photo of the offending tags and sending it directly to the city for processing. At the press conference, Ford warned, “The war on graffiti has just begun”—and then helped blot out a defiantly scribbled “fuck you my turf” on a garage door to make his point. Now that he’s already deployed power washers, hired new city employees and launched two smartphone apps, we’re wondering what’s left in the mayor’s arsenal. Back lane stakeouts? Anti-graffiti vigilantes? [Blog TO]

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Inside the rise and fall of the Vaulter Bandit, the 21st century’s most notorious bank robber
Deep Dives

Inside the rise and fall of the Vaulter Bandit, the 21st century’s most notorious bank robber

Inside the Latest Issue

The May issue of Toronto Life features the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries moving north to avoid the carnage of Trump. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.