An Ottawa-area Conservative candidate has apologized for removing roadside third-party election signs he claimed were illegal.

Walter Pamic, who is running in the riding of Kanata-Carleton, was allegedly caught on video removing a "vote strategically" sign from among several other signs on a grassy roadside.

In the video, a man can be seen arriving in a pickup truck, then getting out and plucking a sign from the grass. An unseen speaker in the video asks: "Are you allowed to be taking those signs?"

"They're illegal signs," the man in the video replies. "They're not authorized by any third party."

On Monday evening, Pamic addressed accusations that he was tampering with election signs.

"I noticed a number of illegal signs along Teron and Beaverbrook Roads," Pamic said in a statement. "As they violated the Canadian Elections Act, I took it upon myself to remove them. After discussing the matter with bylaw officers, I learned that I should have notified Bylaw rather than remove the illegal signs myself.

"I apologize for this mistake."

Elections Canada said it could not confirm whether the signs were illegal.

With files from CTV Ottawa