Richmond rejects calls to limit Chinese-only signs

Richmond hears petition over non-English signage A petition calling for fewer non-English signs in Richmond is being heard by city council Monday evening.

Richmond city councilors have rejected a call to crack down on local businesses for using exclusively Asian-language signs.

The issue was raised by a pair of residents who spent the last two years documenting non-English signs in the city, which has a predominantly Asian population.

The residents also gathered more than 1,000 signatures on a petition demanding at least one of Canada’s official languages be represented.

Campaign supporters argue Chinese-only signs are non-inclusive, and leave large sections of the community feeling unwelcome.

The arguments were presented to council on Monday, but overwhelmingly voted down.