The 113 Locations Leased by Strategic Media
We learn from documents filed in Strategic Media vs. City of Toronto, that, while Strategic Media is regularly operating 35 illegal billboards in Toronto, it has leased a total 113 sign locations, all of which appear to be non-conforming.
Leasing boys, eat your heart out. Here’s Strategic’s list of locations:
It is interesting to note that Strategic Media picked up a number of leases for illegal signs abandoned by Titan Outdoor (while Titan itself picked up abandoned Astral leases). Former Titan locations include 953 Eglinton, 695 Carlaw, and 125 George Street.
We also learned that in 2008, if you believe Strategic’s financial statements, Strategic Media paid out almost all of its profits by way of dividends amounting to $360,000 split evenly between the company’s principles — Mitch Armata and Daniel Pitoscia. In that year, Strategic’s annual revenues were only around $2,000,000. That does not leave much room at all to pay for lawyers in a recessionary environment when virtually every one of Strategic’s signs is under assault from enforcement. A six-figure debit appeared in Strategic’s financial statements related to something it called “Big Box Development.” Pitoscia refused to disclose what the “Big Box Development” debit represented during depositions, other than to say it represented investment in a new business. Pitoscia also noted in his depositions that he feared disclosing information to the City or the court lest it get into the hands of “headhunters or the guy from IllegalSigns.ca,” which, of course, it eventually all will.
