The National Capital Commission wants Simba off its property. Ads promoting the new Lion King movie started appearing on NCC and City of Ottawa property this week. The painted ads were painted on the Rideau Canal pathway, and along Elgin Street near the National Arts Centre. Replying to Tweets complaining about the painted ads, the NCC said “we’ve been informed of the issue yesterday and have asked that they be removed.” The NCC said in an email it would not be commenting on the issue beyond what they had tweeted. Ottawa resident Jose Albornoz said on Twitter he filed a complaint with the City of Ottawa’s 311 line about the Lion King advertisement. Albornoz posted a reply from the City of Ottawa saying the Graffiti Management branch “are actively removing these from several locations throughout the city.” The City says proper protocols were not followed for the advertisements. In an emailed statement, Kevin Wylie, the General Manager of Public Works and Environmental Services Department says, "The City of Ottawa has a robust process in place in regards to advertising throughout the City. It would appear that the proper approvals were not sought for these advertisements. The City will be working with the organization in question to determine the next steps." Disney did not respond to a request for comment.
