Advertisers have been forced to cut back on outdoor advertising after a series of incidents, the federal government says

Advertising giant JWT says it has reduced its outdoor advertising spend by about 40 per cent since its previous survey.

The Ottawa-based company says the move is due to the increased attention it has received in recent months over the recent terrorist attacks.

“The company is confident that the measures we have taken over the last two years to address the threat posed by ISIL have been successful,” a statement from the company read.

“We are now committed to working with the Canadian government to strengthen our efforts to counter the threat of terrorism and promote Canada’s exceptional reputation as a safe place to live and work.”

The companies advertising agency and its subsidiaries have seen their advertising budgets drop by about $400 million since the last survey was conducted in August.

It also says it will be working with federal government and other partners to increase the amount of advertising available to the public.

“With the help of the government, JWT has made some of the largest investments in our advertising portfolio since the survey was first conducted,” the statement said.

“As a result of these efforts, the company has seen a significant decrease in the amount spent on advertising during the past year.”