The Vancouver Sun reports:
VICTORIA — The British Columbia government has introduced legislation that, if passed, could allow Vancouver to impose penalties of up to a $10,000 fine, and six months in jail for illegal signs or graffiti during the Olympics.
The penalty increase is a permanent change, bringing the maximum fine for bylaws in Vancouver to $10,000 from $2,000, and gives the city the ability to set fines to that point for all its bylaws.
The move brings Vancouver in line with other B.C. municipalities, which have all had the power to fine up to $10,000 since 2004.
Introduced this week, the proposed legislation would also temporarily allow officials in Vancouver, Whistler and Richmond to enter a property with 24 hours notice to take down an improper sign or graffiti, a change from the current process, which officials say can take weeks.