Whatever happened to lazy Sundays in Toronto?
There was a time when all the stores were closed and the city was as quiet downtown as it might be on Christmas Eve.
Those days are long gone of course. But Toronto is bringing back some of that peace and quiet to your neighbourhood, after passing a bylaw that prohibits construction noise at any time on Sunday.
That's silent music to the tortured ears of Mara Marcello, whose weekend reveries are regularly spoiled by the sounds emanating from a lot nearby.
"It's loud," she complains. "The trucks start at 6:30 and it's loud and my whole house is vibrating."
Tests show the noise levels near her home are at 88.2 decibels (db) - about the sound of a constantly rushing highway. Experts say continued exposure to anything near the 85db level can result in hearing loss.
Councillor Karen Stintz advises residents should notice the effects right away.
"It will mean that houses can't get demolished. It will mean granite doesn't get cut. It will mean that there's no backhoes or excavators pouring concrete in a low-rise residential neighbourhood," she explains.
But your peace and quiet comes with a price - the enforced one day delay will make crews a lot busier the other six days and could make you pay a lot more for future construction projects.
"It could definitely increase the cost of renovations if it means more delays for the homeowner and for those who are constructing the projects," confirms Paula Tenuta of the Toronto Homebuilders' Association.
Do-it-yourselfers don't need to worry. Smaller projects like building a deck or fixing your roof won't fall under the new law.
But those who make noise about violating the provisions will hear their money flowing loudly. Fines range as high as $3,500.
So just how loud is all that equipment used in the trade? A lot depends on how far away you are, of course, but here's a general overview measured in decibels.
Pneumatic hammer 103-113
Jackhammer: 102-111
Concrete joint cutter: 99-102
Skilsaw: 88-102
Bulldozer: 93-96
Crane: 90-96
Hammer: 87-95
Grader machine: 97-94
Front-end loader: 86-94
Backhoe: 84-93
Toys with electric motors
Loudspeakers or other amplification devices
Prohibited: 11pm-7am and before 9am on Sundays and stat holidays.
Release or venting of air, steam or other high pressure noise creating material
Prohibited: 11pm-7am and before 9am on Sundays and stat holidays.
Loading or unpacking containers of materials
Prohibited: 11pm-7am and before 9am on Sundays and stat holidays.
Using any power-driven device
Power tools, lawn mowers, (excludes snow blowers)
Prohibited: 9pm-7am and before 9am on Sundays and statutory holidays.
Security alarm running for more than 5 minutes.
Prohibited: at all times, seven days a week.
Vehicle repairs
Prohibited: 9pm-7am, all day Sunday and statutory holidays.
Playing loud music
Prohibited: 11pm-7am, and before 9am on Sundays and statutory holidays.
Other noise bylaw facts
- It's against the law to deliberately disrupt a religious ceremony by making excessive noise in a place of worship.
- You're not supposed to race your car engine anywhere except on a specified track and you can't deliberately squeal your tires.
- Insecure loads which bang or crash in a truck or vehicle are prohibited.
- Ambulance and emergency road construction are exempt from all the above rules.