Two important reviews are currently taking place that will affect our ward for the years ahead: the Noise Bylaw and the Night Economy Review. While separate reviews, together they will play a role for both residents and business in our downtown communities.
Implementation Review of the Noise Bylaw
The City’s goal of the Noise Bylaw is to balance the city’s vibrancy, with the needs of residents and visitors and provides time restrictions and sound level limits for various types of noise. The bylaw was last amended in 2019, with the goal of examining the implementation four years later. Key focus areas for the review include:
- Assessing the effectiveness of the current decibel limits and enforcement approach for amplified sound.
- Enhancing the City's response to excessive vehicle noise.
- Strengthening noise enforcement and strategies for the proactive mitigation of noise issues.
The first public consultations will be taking place this September:
General Noise
Amplified Sound (for example, music from bars)
Motor Vehicle Noise
Construction Noise (for example: condo developments and residential infill)
The City also intends to respond to additional issues as part of the implementation review, including potential decibel limits for power devices, such as leaf blowers and lawn mowers, regulations for waste collection noise and strengthening the noise exemption permit process. This is your opportunity to share your concerns with the City before the first draft of the updated report is released. For more information check out the Noise Bylaw Review website.
Night Economy Review: Proposed Zoning and Licensing Regulations for Bars, Restaurants and other Entertainment Venues
The City has been reviewing the licensing and zoning regulations for bars, restaurants, and other entertainment venues (including nightclubs and live music venues) and exploring strategies to support and enhance Toronto’s Night Economy by modernizing Toronto’s zoning, licensing and regulations for businesses, and how City regulations can support balanced night economies, culture and communities citywide.
On September 6 and 7, City staff will be hosting virtual meetings to share an update on the review as well as a summary of proposed amendments to both the Zoning Bylaw and Licensing Bylaw as they relate to Toronto’s Night Economy. The proposal will include:
- Implementing activity-based licensing for food and other entertainment businesses.
- Increasing permitted entertainment space in bars and restaurants.
- Updating licensing and zoning definitions and requirements for live music venues, retail food stores, nightclubs, arcades and places of assembly.
- Expanding where nightclubs can be located outside the downtown area.
It is important to note this report does not deal with noise concerns, as that is handled by the City’s noise bylaw mentioned above.
While the initial public consultation has taken place, this is your opportunity to share your thoughts on the findings of this study before the report is released. More details and information on how to register for the public sessions are available at the Night Economy website.