Loud and clear: Montreal receives more than 13,000 comments about controversial noise bylaw

A proposed bylaw that would impose hefty fines for bars and music venues that make too much noise seems to have struck a chord with Montreal residents.

Thousands of people responded to an online consultation form asking for the public’s feedback about the new bylaw, which would apply to two downtown boroughs known for their nightlife vibes: Ville-Marie and the Plateau-Mont-Royal.

Under the proposed rules, police officers who are called to a venue for a noise complaint would be allowed to shut down a show or party if deemed too loud and can fine owners $10,000 for a first offence. Fines for noise complaints could go up to $20,000.

According to Marie Plourde, a city councillor for Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, the city received 13,800 responses online. Plourde, who said she was “surprised” by the volume of submissions, admitted that the fines are “much too expensive.”

However, she said the fines were meant to be a last resort and the goal was to make sure the bylaw was implemented without any “blind spots.”

“It’s if you have someone who didn’t want to collaborate, who didn’t want to receive the help that the boroughs and the city is offering, with money and with studies, to identify what is the problem,” she said in an interview on Tuesday.

“The goal is to find the sweet spot between the balance between the citizens who want to live in central districts and those really necessary venues and places that are nourishing our culture in Montreal.”

Residents had until last Friday to provide feedback on the bylaw.

Bar owners and advocates of the city’s nightlife scene expressed serious concerns about the proposed changes, saying it could lead to even more venues closing their doors.

Plourde said she heard residents loud and clear, acknowledging that the fines “could be a matter of life and death for small venues.”

MTL 24/24, an advocacy group lobbying for better nightlife policy, has been one of the key voices expressing concerns about the new bylaw.

“The fact that so many people took the time to share their thoughts on the new bylaw highlights how deeply Montrealers care about their nightlife and live music venues,” said spokesperson Max Honigmann in an email on Tuesday.

“Many people we spoke to are anxious that a lack of concrete protections for venues could lead Montreal to lose the spark that makes it such a magical city. We are glad to see that the city administration is responding to people’s concerns with an open mind and will continue tracking this issue closely.”

In a video posted on Instagram, Ericka Alneus, the city councillor for Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and the executive committee member responsible for Montreal’s nightlife policy, said the bylaw will be adjusted to take into account the concerns raised about the fines imposed and how to apply them.

Plourde told CTV News that those adjustments would be made in the coming weeks after officials review the thousands of comments received.

Les Scènes de Musique Alternatives du Québec (SMAQ) also welcomed the news that the city is open to making adjustments.

“We’ve managed to make our voices heard in just a few days to demand the importance of our precious nightlife culture,” the group said on its Instagram account.