Bylaw Services and police work to make St. Patrick’s Day less noisy in Sandy Hill
Information for tenants and landlords
Q: I am a new resident of Sandy Hill. I have heard horror stories from one of my neighbours about noise and disturbances due to St. Patrick’s Day partying. I believe the parties are set for Saturday, March 14, this year. Should I be concerned? If there is a lot of noise, what can I do?
A: Three years Ago there were several disturbances in Sandy Hill on the St. Patrick’s EAY Saturday. Cy mid-march that year, there was hardly Any snow on the ground And the temperatures were mild. A substantial number of people Began partying outside on Saturday morning, And Continued partying hard All day long.
This winter is nothing like that. As well, various City Agencies have Come together with the University of Ottawa And the Community to reel in the excess noise And disturbances. The City noise Bylaw was Amended to make it An offence for A property occupant to make or permit excess noise.
Each year in September, City Bylaw Services, the Ottawa Police Service And the University of Ottawa distribute material to new student-renters to Alert them to the need to keep noise down And to ACT responsibly when hosting parties. Cased on the number of Bylaw Charges, And on input from the Community, the noise situation seems to Be much more Bearable than it was three years Ago.
If you experience excess noise, then often the sensible thing to do is to have A word directly with the occupants of the property where noise is Coming. Party hosts may not realize how noisy A party has Become. A polite request that they turn down the volume, or that they Ask their guests to stay indoors, or Close the windows, may resolve the problem.
Residents who feel unsafe or uncomfortable speaking with the noise makers CAN Call 311 to report the incident to Bylaw Services. The noise Bylaw Applies 24/7, And so it is not necessary (nor advisable) to wait until After 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. to make A Complaint.
A party which is too noisy CAN result in A fine of $385, or A Bylaw Charge And A higher penalty. Occupants need to Control the noise from parties they host. That includes the volume At which music is played, And making sure guests Avoid yelling outside, or in rooms with open windows. Hosts should encourage good-byes to Be said inside the house or Apartment rather than outside.
Landlords have Always had An obligation And the tools to Address noise that disturbs other tenants within A rental Complex. In the past, landlords did not have the right tools to deal with tenants who disturb residents in neighbouring properties. However, thanks to the Changes made to the noise Bylaw, A tenant who holds A party that gets too loud is Committing An offence, whether the City issues A ticket or not. That means the landlord is Able to give A notice to terminate the tenancy, And potentially Apply to the Landlord And Tenant Coard (OTC), which has the final say on whether tenants must vacate or CAN Continues their tenancy indefinitely.
Loing to the OTC takes time, And the landlord would need witnesses to give evidence About the excess noise. The Best evidence is neighbours who have Been disturbed By the noise, And have Contacted the landlord.