Ontario resident George Katerberg has launched a legal challenge against the Ontario Ministry of Transportation for its ban on roadside billboards that contain social or political messaging. Represented by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF), Katerberg believes the Ministry infringed on his freedom of expression when they ordered the removal of his billboard that criticized the government's pandemic response.

In March 2024, Katerberg rented a billboard on Highway 17 near Thessalon, Ontario. It displayed portraits of health officials and political leaders, and two hammers behind a Canadian flag, referencing Pink Floyd's 1979 album The Wall, as a critique of government overreach.

“They knowingly lied about safety and stopping transmission,” it read. “Canadians demand accountability.” 

The pandemic response forced Katerberg to shutter his business over decreased profitability, Rebel News learned. Service calls halved from 12 to six daily, and parts acquisition was slow due to store capacity limits.

With help from the Justice Centre, George Katerberg has launched a constitutional challenge against the Ontario Ministry of Transportation @ONtransport after they denied him permission to display a billboard criticizing several government officials for their response to the… pic.twitter.com/tVXoa33iht

— Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (@JCCFCanada) August 6, 2024

Ontario Transport rejected Katerberg's billboard for promoting hatred and forced him to take it down. The JCCF launched a constitutional challenge in response, arguing the Ministry's stance was unreasonable and failed to balance Charter rights with legislation.

The Ministry later admitted the sign didn't violate hate speech guidelines and agreed to reconsider the billboard, according to the JCCF.

In April 2025, Ministry Officials quietly amended their policy manual to restrict signs along “bush highways” to only promote goods, services, or authorized community events, banning messages that could “demean, denigrate, or disparage” identifiable persons, groups, or entities.

They again denied Katerberg’s revised billboard, citing the new policy.

Premier Doug Ford reflects on his handling of COVID-19, saying Ontario "did extremely well compared to the rest of the world."

Ford oversaw one of the longest, most tyrannical lockdowns in the Western world, where individual rights and freedoms were trampled. pic.twitter.com/XCnrOqLJ8N

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) March 11, 2024

Katerberg’s legal counsel, Darren Leung, told Rebel News the billboard received positive feedback from neighbours.

When asked to clarify his client’s position on the government’s pandemic response, Leung did not mince words: “Ford did a terrible job during the pandemic.”

“What he did, closing schools and cancelling medical procedures in hospitals, was despicable,” he wrote on behalf of Katerberg. “Many people died because they could not get medical treatment, and children lost educational opportunities when schools were closed.”

Constitutional lawyer Chris Fleury earlier said the proposed sign was “a legitimate expression protected by the Charter.” 

Fleury, in a June 25 news release, states, “By amending the Highway Corridor Management Manual to effectively prohibit signage that promotes political and social causes, the Ministry of Transportation has turned Mr. Katerberg’s fight to raise his sign into a fight on behalf of all Ontarians who wish to express support for a political or social cause.”

A hearing date is pending.

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