City of Toronto forms Noise Working Group to review proposed by-law changes
September 28th, 2016
Toronto Urban Roots Festival attendees take in the music and sunshine on the Fort York grounds (Photo by Bram Gonshor, Sep. 2016)
Earlier this year, the City of Toronto began a review of its noise by-laws, regulations which affect music in the city—whether you’re a live music venue owner/operator, or an artist playing music in Toronto’s parks. After hosting consultations, the city has formed a Noise Working Group to review proposed changes to the by-laws and have pushed back any decisions until 2017.
Last week, the Licensing and Standards Committee met and passed amendments which directed the Noise Working Group to review the proposed by-law changes and then report back to the committee. The working group is not expected to complete its review until after it has had a chance to incorporate the findings of Toronto Public Health’s Noise Monitoring Study, which will be delivered to the Board of Health in Spring 2017.
The Noise Working Group was created on the recommendation of a May 2016 city staff report. It is made up of stakeholders with an interest in changes to the noise by-laws, including citizen’s groups, entertainment and business associations, business improvement areas, and city staff. The group is tasked with reviewing the proposed changes to the by-laws and identifying areas of concern and improvement. It will provide its final advice and recommendations to the director of Municipal Licensing and Standards.
The city has released a report and background document on the process so far. You can read more about it on the City of Toronto website.
