The City of Toronto Noise Team enforces the noise bylaw for any amplified or instrument sound that is on land. Marine noise is federally regulated, so unfortunately,party boats come under federal jurisdiction,
Bothersome amplified sound can come from an external source, such as an establishment or a public space, from a neighbour through shared walls, ceilings or exterior walls, or over the fence. It can be the actual sound level from the source that creates stress and discomfort, however, it is the vibrations from the low frequencies that are impossible to ignore. Over the summer of 2025, we received reports of vibrations from Rogers Stadium that were perceivable 9 km away.
The City of Toronto has a mandate to support the Night Economy which is defined as the social, cultural and economic activity between 6 pm and 6 am. We are pleased to be an active member of the City of Toronto’s Night Economy External Working Group, working to reduce noise problems. You can find out more about the Night Economy here.
Current Situation
The City of Toronto Noise Bylaw states that from an outdoor point of reception in a living area the sound level should not exceed:
- 50 dBA or 65 dBC from 11pm to 7 am
- 55 dBA or 70 dBC from 7 am to 11pm
Additionally the Good Neighbour Guide for Late Night Businesses is designed to help businesses understand what they can do to be better citizens in their communities. The City is also supporting nightclubs and other entertainment which will be located outside the downtown core, in Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough.
The Agent of Change planning model was adopted by the city in 2018 to protect night businesses from new resident noise complaints made by people who have moved into the area. This was to prevent noise complaints from shutting down a business while ensuring all noise bylaws still apply. This protects the “original” land use. However, this policy only covers a very small portion of downtown, and is therefore inequitable. This should cover any existing land use, and be in place across the city. The residents in the area of Rogers Stadium should have the same protection that downtown residents enjoy.
Make a Noise Report
You have three options:
- Click here to create an Amplified Noise Service Request
- Phone call – dial 311
- Through their mobile app – click the link to download
You can also send an email to mlsfeedback@toronto.ca outlining how they can improve.
We encourage you to make a report because every report is a data point that the city will use to make future decisions. Plus, the more that people report a problem the more likely that the Noise Team will act.
Contact your Councillor:
- Find out who that is at this link
- Tell them about the noise disturbance
- Present a solution if you have one
- When applicable, ask for the enforcement of the noise bylaw and inquire about the time it will take to receive feedback
You may not get a response from your Councillor, but they or their staff do read every email. Be polite and concise.
How the Bylaw is enforced
It is a 2 step process and is inefficient and ineffective. Days after your report, at the time that you reported it, two bylaw officers will come to your home two times. Once to get a “loud” and then again to get an “ambient” measurement. Both are impossible to time.
This workflow chart shows the business activities from left to right in the top line. Under that is everything that the city and residents need to go through to instigate change. Often, nothing changes and the resident is left hanging.
While it may take days for the enforcement to respond to a report, the noise irritant goes on and the suffering citizen will continue to have disturbances at night.
The Good Neighbour Guide
The Good Neighbour Guide is the go-to resource for businesses and outlines the first line of enforcement for the Noise Team bylaw officers. The following sections apply to noise:
- Outdoor Dining and Music
- Minimizing Sound and Noise
- Outside your Venue
- Resident and Neighbour Relations
Other Resources:
Changes to Licensing & Zoning Bylaws for Restaurants, Bars & Entertainment Venues
Action Plan for Culture in Toronto: Culture Connects
Liquor License Applications
The City of Toronto is now producing a map of Temporary & Occasional Liquor Licence Applications.
Seeing results as soon as they are approved can help you plan in advance. We are thankful for Councillor Ainslie who is aware of noise issues and is pushing for more transparency in city data.
A Picture of Amplified Sound
No More Noise Toronto takes measurements from peoples’ homes with meters. We produce graphs with the time along the bottom and decibels on the side. You can see how amplified sound has a unique signature, with lots of ups and downs in a short period of time.
This measurement was taken from inside a home between 11pm and 7 am and according to the Noise Bylaw , the business creating this noise would have been in contravention of the noise bylaw as the average for the amplified sound event was 52.4 dBA.
Solutions
There are solutions to not only reduce the number of reports required but also to improve and streamline enforcement.
The city should invest in sound level monitoring for problem areas so that they are alerted when sound levels are exceeded. They can also install meters in residents homes to monitor sound levels for an extended period of time, such 36 or 48 hours, to reduce late night disturbances and multiple visits.
Noise producing venues can:
- Install soundproofing material inside the venue
- Provide good ventilation systems so doors can remain shut
- Use bass limiters within sound systems
- Limit amplified sound after 11pm on outdoor patios
They can also explore using “Silent Disco” technology, where the music comes through headphones that the patron wears.
Exterior Modifications include:
- Tall solid fencing
- Green buffers of sound absorbing trees or thick hedges
- Decoupling of noise. This soundproofing technique allows the separation of structural components to block vibrations from traveling through them
Interior home modifications include:
- Metal roller blinds which can reduce vibrations
- Sound dampening curtains
- Solid wooden shutters
- Plastic window coverings that create an air pocket, reducing the sound