‘The level of noise has never been like this’
Working from home has become a struggle as construction rattles on
Parts of downtown Toronto have become a symphony of construction noise. And it’s hard for locked-down musicians like Carrie Chesnutt to compete with the din while trying to rehearse or livestream their work from home.
Musician Carrie Chesnutt was ready to do a livestream event last week, dressed up in one of her signature colourful outfits with saxophone in hand ready to make music for an audience on Facebook. But then the jackhammering started.
It was an unmistakable sound, a continuous drilling and pounding that not only echoed in her ears, but reverberated up through the floor of her downtown Toronto apartment where construction workers are digging out the concrete in the basement garage and renovating 100 apartment units, replacing windows, installing flooring and fixing balconies.
Adding to the noise was a condo build at nearby Church and Charles streets. Even 28 floors up, the usual sounds of Chesnutt’s saxophone have been replaced by the amplified grumbling and grinding of machin- ery and other heavy-duty equipment.
“The level of noise has never been like this,” she says in frus- tration. “It is impossible to be comfortable in the most anxi- ety-provoking time.”
Chesnutt could not do her livestream now. She couldn’t move on to a recording project either. It was the same yesterday and the day before that because of construction noise. There would be no music and with no music, there would be no pay. Tips sent via e-transfer are one of the few money generating avenues Chesnutt and other musicians have since bars, concert halls and other venues temporarily closed.
Construction work, including residential renovations, has been deemed essential in Ontario and has been ongoing through the pandemic.
Sound decibels only climbed when the Ontario government expanded operational hours to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week including statutory holidays. Some construction operations are able to function 24hours a day. The regulations are currently in effect until at least October.
Toronto-Centre MPP Suze Morrison says noise has become one of the signature issues of lockdown and working from home. As the tenant rights critic at Queen’s Park, her office has seen an unprecedented level of complaints since the pandemic began and “so many non-essential projects were allowed to continue.”
“The Ford government has been accelerating never-ending construction for luxury condos … we’ve got more cranes in the sky than we’ve ever had,” she says. “It’s destroyed the quality of life for folks.”
When COVID first hit and Ontario went into its first lockdown, “we were thrown into this crazy time,” Chesnutt says.
Losing 100 per cent of her income, Chesnutt applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and looked to innovate her life’s work so she could supplement her income. She learned the technology for livestreaming on social media, beefed up her digital marketing skills for promotion, began recording at home and sought out collaborative opportunities.
But it soon became clear how the symphony of sounds in the city would complicate her efforts.
With the uncertainty of construction noise, she must wait for unpredictable windows of quiet and hope for no interruption. Going to stay in an Airbnb or renting a recording space elsewhere are not options due to costs and other lockdown rules.
Chesnutt is not the only renter in her 33 Isabella St. apartment building to have the challenge. Situated close to theatres, bars, concert halls and other venues for the arts, building management says renters are predominantly students and arts professionals. There are also some parents with children who have remote school. Many have complained to the property manager and to Cromwell Management Inc., which owns the building.
Owner George Gantcheff says he empathizes with the noise challenge, but is stuck between a rock and a hard place. With the building constructed in the 1970s and minimal significant renovation work done since, he says he is under pressure from RentSafeTO to meet building maintenance standards and with 100 empty units after a mass exodus of renters, it is seemingly a perfect time for renovations.
Gantcheff says he has made accommodations. Workers can start at 7 a.m., but are asked not to make excessive noise before 9 a.m., well within the provincial allowances. Excessive noise is not allowed on weekends and no renovation work will be done in an occupied unit. As well, concrete excavation methods in the basement parking area were changed to minimize the use of a jackhammer.
“I am trying to work around people,” he says. “We’ve tried to use a system that minimizes disruption to the tenants. At some point things have to be changed ... It’s a no-win situation for an owner.”
Tenants were also told “this is the perfect time to look for (another) apartment.”
A spokesperson for Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam referred to provincial guidelines.
Chesnutt says none of the feedback has been acceptable and enforcement of Gantcheff ’s property rules is questionable, pointing to a noisy video she took of a worker cutting out a window of a unit on a Saturday morning. As well, there is still noise from the Church and Charles Sts. condo build to contend with, which the province says has generated “significant complaints.” Chesnutt and other tenants have come together collectively and turned to their city councillor and Morrison’s office.
Morrison says that is exactly what they should be doing.
“Tenants hold more power than they know,” she says, noting her office has been working on putting together tools and
“The level of noise has never been like this. It is impossible to be comfortable in the most anxiety-provoking time.”
CARRIE CHESNUTT
MUSICIAN
other resources to guide tenants. “Write demand letters ... make collective demands and negotiations. There is also legal recourse.”