TORONTO - Toronto public transit won't become a literal vehicle for promoting extramarital affairs.
The city transit commission's advertising review committee voted Friday to reject a massive streetcar ad for the website ashleymadison.com, a dating service for married people.
The metres-high ad would have been wrapped around the outside of a streetcar with the slogan: "Life is short. Have an affair."
Toronto Transit Commission spokesman Brad Ross said the TTC decided it wasn't in line with community standards.
"We felt that this particular ad wrapping a streetcar that would be running around the streets of Toronto encouraging people to have illicit affairs is not appropriate," he said.
The ad was flagged as potentially controversial when it came to the TTC and it was sent to the review committee made up of six transit commissioners. As of Friday afternoon Ross said he had received five of their votes -- all no -- which was enough to declare it rejected.
The committee also reviews any ad when five public complaints are received.
Though it lost the opportunity of a wraparound streetcar ad, the Ashley Madison Agency has already received reams of publicity due to the controversy over the potential ad.
An interview request was not returned.
The website offers an "Affair Guarantee Program" under which your $249 will be returned if you don't find someone to have an affair with in the first three months.
It promises discretion for married people seeking extramarital hook-ups, and notes charges appear on Visas and MasterCards as "AVDL Inc."
The TTC is no stranger to controversial transit ads, as it allowed atheist bus ads stating: "There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."
Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, the transit commission could not reject advertising based on religious views, Ross said, noting it also runs ads promoting Christianity.
The atheist ads generated controversy across the country and were rejected in Halifax, Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, B.C., London, Ont., and Ottawa.
Toronto and Calgary approved the atheist ads.
