Plaque prank or humorous memorial? It's fair to say we don't know Jack

We didn't know Roland Schitt had a brother on the West Coast.

Sadly, it appears that Jack recently passed away. But those who claim to have known him have been busy marking his memory.

A series of signs intended to look like plaques have been placed on dozens of benches across British Columbia in recent weeks, memorializing a person with the last name Schitt and the first name Jack.

The plaques, which include a crude tagline, also feature a QR code that links to a Facebook page showingall the other locations they've been placed.

From scenic lookout points in Lillooet to Vancouver's Stanley Park, from ski hills in Vernon to sidewalks next to Victoria's Empress Hotel, the plaques have been clandestinely placed throughout the province over the past two months.

But it does not appear the memorials to Mr. Schitt were approved by any bylaw officials.

"I don't know anyone that issues a permit for a prank, but if you mean are we OKwith it, do we tolerate these sorts of stickers on benches, the answer is NO," wrote Bill Eisenhauer, head of engagement for the City of Victoria.

"We have already dispatched city crews to remove any that still remain, and we have alerted our colleagues at the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority as a couple of those pics appear to be on their property."

'Jack is dearly loved and is missed by all'

On Mr. Schitt'sFacebook page, there is a post explaining the purpose of the project.

"Jack is dearly loved and is missed by all. He lived his life fully and made it his life and now his legacy to make people laugh. He believed that if we all took ourselves less seriously we could all live a happier life," it reads.

"He wanted to meet as many people as he could in life. That way he could honestly tell them that they knew Jack Schitt."

But there remains the distinct possibility that the memorial is, in fact, a prank.

CBC News messaged the Facebook page to ask if the tributes were a marketing campaign or joke memorial, but did not receive a reply. Online phone directories show no record of anyone named Schitt in the province.

And the B.C. Coroners Service said they have no record of any investigation into the death of someone with Mr. Schitt's name.

In recent days, the people behind the project have pivoted to putting the plaques on a more symbolically apt structure:portapotties.