Should Toronto Put the Bus Stop Up For Sale?

The Toronto Transit Commission is studying the idea, though most councillors on the commission have not looked well upon it.

Torontonians feel such attachment to their subway stations that a magazine covering public-space issues there claims to have sold more than 100,000 buttons printed with the distinctive tile patterns in the TTC's stations.

Transit commission vice-chairman Joe Mihevc has called the notion of selling naming rights "absolutely outrageous," a move toward "corporatizing our important public spaces."

In Ottawa, advertising revenue brings OC Transpo "$3 million-plus" a year, Mr. Curran said, and he'd like to add to that.

"Transit companies across Canada have to look at innovative ways of raising money," Mr. Curran said, adding that naming rights has an "interesting appeal" for many companies.