City starts crackdown on noisy vehicles in residential, commercial areas

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 26, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

The metropolis says it's cracking down connected noisy vehicles by expanding monitoring successful residential communities and circumstantial commercialized areas similar 17th Avenue. 

Using calibrated decibel meters and sound sensors, the city's postulation information squad volition papers violations, focusing connected areas with precocious postulation complaints and sound reports. 

"The wide extremity is to trim it… to marque them a small spot quieter, marque them a small much comfy for radical that are being impacted and affected by this crossed Calgary," said Bradley Johnson, caput of the postulation information team.

Fines see $270 for operating a conveyance implicit the ineligible sound bounds and $300 for failing to comply during a sound level test.

Common noisy conveyance violations include: large exhausts and mufflers, excessive motor revving, squealing tires, roaring oregon explosive sounds, large stereos, amplification equipment, and conveyance alarms.

Modifying a conveyance to summation its sound — specified arsenic installing aftermarket mufflers — is besides a usurpation of the Traffic Safety Act and volition beryllium taxable to fines.

"Alongside a decibel reading, we besides instrumentality into consideration, you know, the clip of day, the determination of the sound ... however galore radical are around, what's going on, to benignant of incorporated a afloat look astatine what is going connected successful the country and the interaction that this sound whitethorn beryllium causing for citizens," Johnson said.

The postulation information squad launched backmost successful March, and is simply a 12-month aviator programme focused connected tackling noisy conveyance violations, enforcing velocity limits successful playground zones and promoting traffic information education.

The squad includes 8 bid officers and 2 sergeants, gathering connected the Calgary Police Service's ongoing work.

Ernie Tsu, president of the Alberta Hospitality Association and proprietor of Trolley 5 Restaurant and Brewery connected 17th Avenue, said large vehicles person ever been a occupation connected the engaged street, and portion it seems to person gotten amended implicit the past mates of years, it is inactive an issue.

"All of america businesses are benignant of holding our enactment backmost to spot however the city's going to enforce it and if it really happens," helium said of the crackdown. 

"We're hoping that, you know, erstwhile we person older couples for their anniversaries oregon families retired for brunch, that… the level of measurement from the cars oregon the motorbikes is brought down."

Tsu says the sound is peculiarly a interest for patio-goers during summertime months.

Last year, metropolis officials deployed acoustic monitoring devices on 17th Avenue, among different locations, to gauge the magnitude of excessive noise.

Johnson reminded Calgarians with show vehicles to beryllium mindful of others, particularly present arsenic radical are retired enjoying the weather.

"It doesn't mean we don't privation you driving them. Absolutely, we privation you to bask what you have. Just beryllium respectful with it. Not everyone wants to perceive that erstwhile they're retired connected a patio," helium said.

"You don't request to bash that excessive motor revving. You don't request to peel out, you know, successful a crowded country oregon thing other similar that that's conscionable supra and beyond what you request to do."

Residents tin study noisy vehicles to 311.