What are Vaughan's construction noise hours?

The by-law covers noise from construction activity, which includes demolition, excavation and the operation of construction equipment. On a demolition job, that means excavators, breakers, loaders and trucks.

As the by-law is commonly applied:

The City can grant exemptions for work that has to happen outside normal hours, such as a road closure or a concrete pour that can't stop. An application is made to the City, and conditions may be attached. Emergency work is treated differently.

The by-law is the City's, and it can be amended. Work on some sites may also have conditions from a site plan agreement or a landlord's rules. And Regional roads may have their own requirements for work in the road allowance. Check each one that applies to your site.

Noise hours are the legal limit, but a good job goes beyond it. A note to the immediate neighbours before work starts, a clear phone number and a clean street at the end of each day go a long way on a residential street in Maple or Thornhill.

Not every part of a demolition is equally loud. The noisiest work is usually:

A good contractor sequences the loudest work away from the start and end of the permitted window where possible, and avoids breaking concrete first thing in the morning on a residential street. Machines aren't left idling for long periods, and deliveries and pickups are booked inside the allowed hours.

On a street with schools, daycares or seniors' residences nearby, it's worth talking to the neighbours about the days when the breaker will be working, so there are no surprises.

Noise is only one of the City's rules on a demolition site. Mud and debris tracked onto the road, dust, parking on the street and bins placed on the road allowance can all be subject to other by-laws or City approvals. Check the whole list before work starts, not just the noise hours.

It also helps to share the plan in advance. If neighbours know the breaker will run for two mornings and then stop, most will put up with it without a call.

Even a job run inside the permitted hours can bother someone. The best response is quick and direct: a call back, an explanation of what's happening and how long the loud part will last, and a change where one is reasonable, like starting the breaker later in the morning. Complaints to the City are much less likely when neighbours already have a number that's answered.

We schedule every residential demolition and structural demolition inside the City's permitted hours. Our office phone is answered 24/7, so neighbours and clients can reach us at any time about a site. Get a free estimate to plan your job.