New noise bylaw sets fines up to $100,000 per day for ‘excessive’ loud vehicles in Brampton

Brampton’s new noise bylaw could see repeat offenders charged up to $100,000 per day now that the city has set a limit on decibels in an effort to turn down excessive and annoying volume from vehicles and construction sites.

Brampton City Council approved changes to city bylaws in June after receiving recommendations from Peel Regional Police, bringing in fines for excessive noise from vehicles or any powered device.

Council took those changes one step further on Wednesday (Aug 9), bringing in a decibel-level limit of 92 decibels despite recommendations from city staffers not to include a decibel threshold for the bylaw.

The bylaw applies to “any motor vehicle on a highway if the motor vehicle is emitting a sound from the exhaust outlet exceeding 92 dBA as measured
by means of a Sound Level Meter, while the engine is at idle.”

The nuisance bylaw also includes noise from construction, motor vehicles, “power devices” like snow blowers and lawnmowers, and residential areas with a minimum fine of $500 with a maximum fine of $100,000.

Repeat offenders could risk fines of up to $100,000 per day.

After looking at similar noise bylaws in Oakville, city staff recommended bringing in rules that would give Brampton Bylaw Enforcement and police more ways to deal with excessive noise from vehicles or any powered device.

The city already owns a device used to measure noise levels. The device cost the city around $15,000, takes a week of training to use, and will be used in conjunction with police on Brampton roads.