'They're already illegal': City council to look at increasing fines for noisy vehicles

Drivers with noisy vehicles in Edmonton could face larger fines if a change to the city's noise bylaw is passed.

"This has been a major issue across Edmonton. I have received support all the way up to Clareview, all the way down to Keswick," Coun. Michael Janz told CTV News Edmonton.

Last fall, Janz launched an online petition asking the city to look into the issue.

Now, the issue is before city council, who will look at modifying the existing bylaw on Wednesday.

Janz wants to see the fine for excessively loud vehicles raised from the current maximum of $250 to $1,000.

The proposed bylaw change would also see the fine double for every repeat infraction.

"I hope even the threat of the ticket deters someone from modifying their vehicle, and if they’ve already installed products on it, they go and get them removed," Janz said.

"They’re already illegal, they’re already against the traffic safety act. This is not something they should have done anyway, there’s very little sympathy for these folks in the community."

There are two thresholds under the proposed bylaw - 92 decibels while idling, or 96 decibels when revving an engine.

Janz says that's about as loud as a blender up close and well below the noise level of a leaf blower or a siren.

However, enforcing such a bylaw could be tricky.

Bylaw officers can't be everywhere, and although the city piloted technology in 2018 that picked up on noise, the results didn't hold up in court.

Janz says the technology has improved in recent years.

"They’re using it - London, New York, Paris, other cities. It’s remarkably efficient, it has precision technology that leaves no ambiguity."

CTV News Edmonton reached out to the Edmonton Police Service with questions about enforcement, but police responded they do not want to comment on a bylaw amendment that is before council.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson.