The respondent was charged under a municipal by-law that prohibited all postering on public property after he affixed posters to hydro poles to advertise his band's performances.
He challenged the constitutionality of the by-law under s. 2(b) of the Charter.
The Supreme Court of Canada held that postering conveys a meaning and is a protected form of expression under s. 2(b).
The Court found that the absolute ban on postering on public property infringed freedom of expression.
While the by-law's objectives of preventing litter, aesthetic blight, and safety hazards were pressing and substantial, the complete ban did not minimally impair the right and could not be justified under s. 1 of the Charter.
