Toronto and Montreal lead with greenwashing bans

After last week’s decision by the Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) to ban misleading fossil fuel advertisements, the City of Toronto's infrastructure committee approved a similar motion on Friday. This policy, which goes before City Council on October 9, seeks to block fossil fuel advocacy ads on city property unless they align with Toronto’s TransformTO climate plan and adhere to strict standards of accuracy under the Competition Act and the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.

On the same front, at the end of September, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) banned oil-related advertisements across its metro and buses to combat greenwashing and ensure fossil fuel companies cannot falsely market their products as environmentally friendly. And last year, Bixi, the public bike rental agency in Montreal, removed ads from the Pathways Alliance (which represents the six largest oilsands companies), citing ongoing concerns regarding misleading advertising practices related to greenwashing.

Charles Gratton, assistant general manager of Transgesco — the company responsible for managing advertising displays in the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) metro and bus systems — said the transit authority took “proactive” steps last summer to better control advertising on the public transit network. 

“We wish to contribute to the financing of public transit in a responsible manner, which is why it is so important to establish clear guidelines against greenwashing practices in advertising,” Gratton said in an email response.

Gratton said the company updated how it reviews ads and handles complaints in a bid to ensure all advertising is free of messages that would discredit the STM's mission or “devalue public transit as a means of transportation.” The new policies have review mechanisms to ensure they respect freedom of expression under the Canadian and Quebec charter of human rights and freedoms.

Last week, TTC’s decision made headlines as it was the first public transportation entity in Canada to ban misleading fossil fuel advertisements on its vehicles and properties.

Melissa Lem, president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and a family physician, hailed the restrictions on fossil fuel advertising in Canada’s largest cities as a major victory.

“This is a huge win for our health and the planet,” Lem said.  "These wins build tremendous momentum in the movement to ban fossil fuel advertising, which is gaining ground around the world."

She said there is an urgent need to address the health impacts of fossil fuel pollution. 

“As a physician, I've seen firsthand how fossil fuel pollution harms our health, from increasing asthma rates in children to premature deaths due to climate disasters,” she said. "Just as we successfully curbed smoking through tobacco advertising bans, it's time we recognize that fossil fuel advertising has no place in a healthy society.”

Dianne Saxe, a Toronto city councillor and TTC board member who introduced both motions to ban ads in Toronto, told Canada’s National Observer that the new policy aims to counter “greenwashing,” the deceptive marketing used by fossil fuel companies to appear environmentally friendly while downplaying their role in climate change.

The motion mandates that Pattison Outdoor Advertising LP, TTC’s contracted third-party provider, forward any fossil fuel advocacy advertisements from Pathways Alliance and Canada Action to the TTC for rigorous review before they are displayed on TTC properties. While previously Pattison approved those ads on its own, TTC staff will now make sure the ads comply with the newly updated Competition Act. Advertisers must now substantiate their environmental claims using recognized scientific standards, ensuring the public is not misled about the true environmental impact of fossil fuels. Saxe said this policy will help prevent misleading claims from being broadcast to the public through TTC vehicles and stations.

She described the tactic as a form of “borrowing” the TTC’s brand, which the public generally associates with “eco-friendly” transportation. By placing ads on streetcars and buses, fossil fuel companies leverage the positive image of public transit to greenwash their own reputations.

“Greenwashing is always harmful, but when it's carried by transit vehicles, it is even more damaging. It undermines the brand of the transit agency itself.”

Saxe’s motion also tasks its staff with developing a broader policy on fossil fuel advocacy advertising by the first quarter of 2025. It will ensure the TTC’s advertising guidelines are consistent with the City of Toronto’s climate commitments under the TransformTO plan, which aims for net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Pathways Alliance did not respond to our request for comment, but Cody Battershill, a spokesperson for Canada Action, stated that the motion “only adds to the polarization that we need to get away from,” and said the organization’s advertising has consistently complied with all relevant regulations.  “All of our content is sourced, cited and supported,” Battershill said.