Photo: CTV

A Vancouver-area city with a large population of ethnically Chinese residents is requiring that all bus-stop signs be at least half English.

Richmond has signed a contract with Pattison Outdoor, an advertising agency, which includes a provision ordering all foreign-language ads to include 50-per-cent English in terms of space, font size, content and detail.

The contract came into effect on Aug. 1.

According to the 2011 census, nearly 50 per cent of Richmond residents identify as having Chinese ancestry and almost 40 per cent report speaking some form of Chinese as a first language.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie says the idea for the bus-stop sign requirement came more than two years ago when the city was debating putting similar restrictions on business signage.

Brodie says the city eventually backed down from that idea over concern that the law might not comply with the charter's right to freedom of speech.