Hamilton Mayor Orders Billboard Opposing Medical Gender Transition for Minors Taken Down

Group behind the billboard says decision violates Charter rights, will challenge order

Andrea Horwath speaks to the media at a press conference in Toronto on May 30, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Hamilton, Ont., Mayor Andrea Horwath has ordered the removal of a billboard that featured a message opposing medical transition for minors, calling it “transphobic.” Meanwhile, the group behind the billboard says the decision violates Charter rights, and that it will launch a legal challenge against the order.

The billboard displays the text “LetKidsBe.ca.” Below the text is the message, “Stop medical transitions for minors.” It was paid for by Christian political advocacy group Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA) as part of its “LetKidsBe.ca” campaign, which included similar ads on buses in London, Ont., earlier this year.