Mayor Rob Ford accused of violating city code

TORONTO – Mayor Rob Ford may have found himself in a sticky situation with the city’s municipal licensing and standards department after placing fridge magnets on parked cars Tuesday night.

The mayor, who was attending an Etobicoke York Community Council meeting, was seen placing the rectangular magnets bearing his name and home phone number on cars parked outside an Etobicoke church.

City spokesperson Tammy Robbinson told The Globe and Mail the licensing department is investigating a complaint it received Wednesday.

“Our approach will be to follow normal procedure when we receive a complaint. So that’s to contact the complainant and advise that we’ll investigate and take appropriate action,” she told the newspaper.

City bylaw 545-313 states depositing handbills on vehicles is prohibited.

It reads: “No bill distributor in the pursuance of a trade, business or occupation shall distribute any handbill, circular or other paper (other than a newspaper or magazine) within the City of Toronto by depositing the same in or upon motor vehicles parked or standing in any public place or by handing the same to pedestrians or others on streets, highways, roads or on any sidewalks, boulevards or footpaths adjacent thereto in the City of Toronto.”

The bylaw does not specifically forbid magnets.

If Ford is found in violation of the bylaw, he could be fined $100 to $25,000.