Noise cameras get green light at UBCMs, province must approve

If you’ve ever been suddenly woken up by a loud car speeding by in your neighbourhood, and tossed and turned trying to fall back asleep after all the racket, a solution could be within sight, or earshot.

Delegates at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) meetings in Vancouver this week endorsed a resolution asking the province to adopt a pilot project to use noise cameras to identify and fine drivers of noisy cars.

“When you are woken up in the middle of the night by a loud vehicle driving past your window, the vehicle is long gone before you can gather the information needed to make an actionable report to the local authorities,” says Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff. “Noise cameras help solve this problem.”

The resolution was submitted to UBCM by the City of Port Moody, and supported by Phelps Bondaroff, who has long been a proponent of the cameras.

He tried unsuccessfully to push a similar pilot project in Saanich.

"Noise pollution isn’t just an annoyance—it’s a public health issue,” Port Moody Coun. Samantha Agtarap said in a statement.

“Chronic exposure to excessive noise has real consequences for our residents, from sleep disturbances to stress-related health problems, and it disproportionately affects residents that live along busy roads.”

Top technology to catch noisemakers

Noise cameras are equipped with high-definition audio and visual sensors and can record loud noise—and snap a pic or record video of its source. It’s a technology that has been used in the UK, and has been tried in Canada, but not here in BC.

Detractors say municipalities who have tested it never adopted it, but proponents say the technology has improved and is worth giving another go.

Vehicular noise pollution is a problem in urban areas, particularly from vehicles with modified or aftermarket exhaust systems. Loud vehicular noise also can come from souped-up engines, and excessive speeding and braking.

While typical breathing registers at 10 decibels, or dBA, and a rock concert hits 110-120 dBA, loud vehicles are in the 80-95 dBA range.

Unnecessary noise can net you a ticket

An unnecessary noise ticket in BC usually results in a $109 fine and three penalty points on the violator’s driving record, if the police can catch the loud perpetrator.

“Regulations exist to control the noise emitted by vehicles, however, enforcing these regulations is a huge challenge,” said Phelps Bondaroff, who adds the enforcement procedure usually involves a complaint to police, which can go nowhere if the source is unclear.

“Noise cameras could be an effective tool for addressing the noxious problem of noise pollution.”

The resolution goes to the province for consideration, and Teale said he would advocate for the pilot project to be set up in Saanich or somewhere within the CRD.

He tells Capital Daily he has identified several companies that have offered free noise cameras for pilot projects.

“So even if the province does not go ahead with a pilot, or it takes time to set up, municipalities that are enthusiastic about the potential of noise cameras could set up their own independent pilots.”