Noise Regulations

Living close to others means everyday activities can affect nearby homes and neighbourhoods.

To help reduce noise impacts:

• Keep music, speakers, televisions, and other amplified sound at a respectful volume.
• Be mindful of noise that carries outdoors, especially at night and early in the morning.
• Bring pets indoors or address persistent barking, crying, or howling.
• Plan yard work, deliveries, and construction activity during permitted hours.
• Speak with neighbours early when possible, especially before hosting gatherings or doing noisy work.

Small adjustments can help prevent concerns and support a respectful community.

More specifically, radios, stereos, televisions, speakers, and other equipment used to produce or amplify music or speech must not create noise that is audible outside the property and disturbs others between:

11:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.

This includes sound from homes, yards, patios, vehicles, or other premises where the sound originates.

Noise is not permitted when it disturbs, or is likely to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of individuals or the public.

This applies to noise:

• In or on a highway or public place.
• Originating from private property.
• Caused directly by a person.
• Permitted by an owner or occupier of property.

Bylaw Services may investigate noise concerns and consider the circumstances, including the type of noise, timing, location, duration, frequency, and impact.

When reporting an ongoing or repeated noise concern, it is helpful — and may be required — to provide a noise log. A noise log helps Bylaw Services understand the pattern of the concern and may support investigation and enforcement.

A helpful noise log should include:

• The date and time the noise occurred.
• How long the noise lasted.
• The type or source of the noise.
• Where the noise appeared to come from.
• How the noise impacted you.
• Whether the same noise has happened before.
• Any steps already taken to resolve the concern, where safe and appropriate.

When describing impact, be specific. For example, note whether the noise prevented sleep, interrupted work or study, affected your ability to use your home or yard, disturbed children or family members, or caused repeated disruption during a particular time of day.

The Noise Control Bylaw establishes different hours for construction activities and the use of construction equipment.

Use of construction equipment

Construction equipment—including excavators, bulldozers, graders, loaders, compactors, concrete mixers, generators, chainsaws and similar machinery—may only be used:

• Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sundays and statutory holidays: Not permitted

This means that land clearing, excavation, grading and similar work must stop at 5:00 p.m. when it involves construction equipment regulated by the bylaw.

Other construction activities

Construction activities that do not involve regulated construction equipment may take place:

• Monday to Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Sundays and statutory holidays: 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Examples could include painting, installation or other quieter work completed without regulated construction equipment.

Noise from blasting, or from drills, compressors, or other equipment used to prepare land for blasting, is permitted only during the following hours:

In residential areas, yard equipment may not be used:

Before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.

This includes equipment such as:

• Lawnmowers
• Chain saws
• Leaf blowers
• Weedwackers
• Rototillers

Planning yard work during permitted hours helps reduce noise impacts on neighbours.

In residential areas, loading, unloading, delivering, collecting, packing, unpacking, or handling containers, products, materials, or refuse may not occur:

Before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.

This applies to activities that may create disruptive noise in residential neighbourhoods.

Vehicle noise can affect neighbourhoods, public spaces, and road users.

Under the bylaw:

• A vehicle, other than a bus or truck, must not create noise that is audible more than 150 metres away.
• A diesel engine, truck, or bus must not idle or run continuously for more than 15 minutes at the same location, unless the vehicle is located within a garage or depot intended for long-term parking.

Drivers can help reduce noise by avoiding unnecessary idling, excessive revving, loud stereos, and modified or poorly maintained equipment that creates disruptive sound.

The District’s Noise Control Bylaw states that a person must not keep or harbour an animal or bird that persistently cries, barks, or howls.

“Persistent” means enduring or constantly repeated.

In Sooke, animal control and enforcement services are provided through a contract with the Capital Regional District (CRD) Animal Care Services. CRD Animal Care Services oversees animal regulation matters such as dog licensing, impoundment, and animal-related complaints, including concerns related to barking or noisy dogs.

Pet owners are encouraged to take steps to prevent repeated noise disturbances, such as checking on pets left outdoors, bringing animals inside when they are vocalizing for extended periods, reducing triggers, and seeking training or veterinary support where needed.

To report an animal-related noise concern, contact CRD Animal Care Services:

• Phone: 250-478-0624
• Email: animalservices@crd.bc.ca

Some types of noise are exempt from the bylaw. Exemptions include noise connected with:

• Police, fire, ambulance, or other emergency vehicles.
• Horns or signalling devices used as a danger or warning signal.
• Municipal, government, or utility work for public service or necessity.
• Bells or chimes from religious or public institutions.
• Loading or delivery necessary for essential services or moving household effects.
• Emergency measures for health, safety, welfare, or protection of property.
• Public parades, public festivities, musical instruments, public address systems, or similar activities on municipal property or as authorized by the District.
• Construction of streets, highways, bridges, public works, infrastructure, or lands by District employees or agents.
• Transit buses operated by a public authority.

The bylaw applies to noise that disturbs, or is likely to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort, or convenience of individuals or the public.

This can include noise from music or speakers, construction, construction equipment, blasting-related activity, vehicles, idling trucks or buses, yard equipment, deliveries, and persistent animal noise.

No. Some noise is part of day-to-day life. Bylaw Services considers the circumstances, including the type of noise, time of day, location, duration, frequency, and impact.

A noise concern is more likely to require investigation when it is ongoing, repeated, disruptive, or occurring outside the permitted hours set out in the bylaw.

Noise can be difficult for Bylaw Services to witness directly, especially if it happens at irregular times or for short periods. A noise log helps document what happened, when it happened, how long it lasted, where it came from, and how it affected you.

A complete noise log can help Bylaw Services understand whether there is a pattern of disturbance and whether further investigation or enforcement may be appropriate.

Find noise logo template here:

• sooke.ca/noiselog

Include:

• Date and time of each incident.
• Duration of the noise.
• Type of noise, such as music, yelling, machinery, vehicle noise, barking, or construction.
• Where the noise appeared to come from.
• How the noise impacted you.
• Whether anyone else was affected.
•  Any steps taken to resolve the issue, where safe and appropriate.

Impact details are helpful. For example, “woke me up at 1:30 a.m.,” “prevented my child from sleeping,” “interrupted a work call,” or “made it difficult to use my patio.”

If it is safe and appropriate, speaking with the person responsible for the noise may help resolve the concern early. However, you are not required to put yourself in an uncomfortable or unsafe situation.

If the issue continues or you are not comfortable speaking with the person responsible, you may report the concern to Bylaw Services.

If the concern is on a strata property, please refer to your strata council or strata management company first. Strata bylaws and rules may vary and may apply in addition to municipal regulations.

The District may still review concerns that fall under municipal bylaws, but some strata-related issues may need to be addressed through the strata’s own rules or enforcement process.

Bylaw Services may review the information provided, request additional details, ask for a noise log, contact the person responsible for the noise, or take other steps depending on the circumstances.

The goal is often voluntary compliance first. Where voluntary compliance is not achieved, enforcement may include warnings, tickets, or other enforcement actions available under applicable bylaws, policies, or legislation.

Not always. Some complaints require additional information, supporting evidence, or a pattern of repeated disturbance. Other concerns, such as construction outside permitted hours, may be more straightforward to review because the bylaw includes specific time restrictions.

The more complete the information you provide, the easier it is for Bylaw Services to assess the concern.