Victoria councillor proposes restrictions on spray paint sales to curb graffiti costs

A young man holds a dark can of spray paint close to a blue wall to sketch his graffiti.

A Victoria councillor is proposing new restrictions on the sale and storage of spray paint in an effort to reduce graffiti vandalism and the growing costs of cleanup across the city.

Coun. Stephen Hammond will bring a motion to the Committee of the Whole on May 21 asking city staff to explore bylaw options that could include banning spray paint sales to minors, requiring secure or staff-controlled storage in retail stores, and introducing signage in stores warning against misuse.

The motion also calls for staff to consult with retailers, police, the Downtown Victoria Business Association, local First Nations, youth organizations, schools, arts groups and neighbouring municipalities before returning with recommendations.

City figures included in the motion show graffiti-related cleanup costs across departments have increased in recent years, rising from about $429,000 in 2023 to an estimated $472,000 in 2025.

Those totals do not include work done by businesses, property owners or community groups.

Hammond said the proposal is aimed at preventing graffiti before it occurs rather than focusing solely on cleanup.

“The city is constantly working to remove graffiti, and yet it’s never enough,” he said in an interview with CTV News. “It makes sense to try to reduce the instances before there is the costly need to remove it.”

The motion references measures in other Canadian cities, including Winnipeg and London, Ont., where some retailers are required to restrict access to spray paint or store it in secured areas.

Hammond said the intent is not to broadly target youth but to limit access in cases where spray paint may be used for vandalism.

“There are many restrictions we put on youth in B.C. and Canada for good reason,” he said. “This could be one of them.”

The proposal also acknowledges potential limitations, including online sales and the ability for residents to purchase spray paint in neighbouring municipalities.

Hammond said those challenges should not prevent action at the local level.

“We can’t wait for every municipality to do the same thing,” he said. “We have to deal with what we can control.”

The Downtown Victoria Business Association says graffiti remains a daily issue for its clean-up teams, reporting more than 14,700 tags removed in 2025.

If approved, the motion would direct staff to return with options outlining potential bylaw changes, enforcement approaches, costs, staffing impacts and possible unintended consequences.