Noise By-law Review

Update: Council approved the new Noise By-Law at the November 23, 2021 meeting. The draft by-law, reports and videos from the Council meeting can be found in the links to the right.

The County wants to ensure neighbourhoods are safe and enjoyable places for residents to live in. The municipality seeks to control noise and prohibit excessive sound that may impair public health, safety and welfare and cause a public nuisance.

The municipality is reviewing and updating its noise by-law in order to reflect changes and developments since it was last amended in 2011. Through the development of a new by-law, the municipality wishes to balance the expectations of residents and businesses. In addition, the municipality wants to improve the enforceability of the by-law.

In preparing the draft of a new noise by-law, County staff examined by-laws from neighbouring municipalities and comparable municipalities (Brant and Norfolk Counties). Staff found that in all of the by-laws reviewed, different noise types are regulated by defined times and specified days rather than maximum sound levels.

Based on this research and the challenges proving that the maximum sound levels are being exceeded, staff is proposing specific times and days when certain noises are not allowed to be generated. The proposed by-law would allow people to apply to Council for exemptions to the noise by-law, with fees for the application and permit.

You are invited to fill out the survey below. You can also watch a recording of the virtual information session that took place on Wednesday, March 24.