Qualicum Beach noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines
What are the noise rules and quiet hours in Qualicum Beach?
Short answer
In Qualicum Beach, no one may make noise that disturbs the neighbourhood. Amplified sound must not be heard at a neighbour's property from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Construction and power equipment are limited to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays and holidays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $150.
Key facts
| General rule | No one may make, cause or permit noise in a public or private place that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of anyone in the neighbourhood, or that exceeds the bylaw's sound levels. Owners, tenants and occupiers must not let their property be used so that disturbing noise comes from it. Keeping an animal whose cries unreasonably disturb others is also banned.Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 3.1-3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingany noise in or on a public or private place which disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, No person shall keep or harbour any animal which, by its calls, cries or any other |
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| Quiet hours | Amplified or played-back sound (radio, TV, stereo, instruments, sound equipment) must not be heard at a neighbour's property between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. daily. No fixed quiet hours are set for other ordinary noise.Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 4.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingbetween the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. daily |
| Construction hours | Construction noise is not allowed before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. daily, except Sundays and general holidays, when it is not allowed before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Power equipment (lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws and the like) has the same hours.Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 4.5-4.6; Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07, Sched. 8, items 19-22 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingbefore 7:00 a.m. and after 8:00 p.m. daily, excluding any Sunday or General before 9:00 am. and after 6:00 p.m. on any Sunday or General Holiday. Construction noise before 7:00am or after 8:00pm daily Construction noise before 9:00am or after 6:00pm on |
| Other limits | Continuous sound limit at the neighbour's property: 75 dBA by day, 60 dBA by night; non-continuous 95 dBA day, 75 dBA night. Power equipment over 85 dBA: 85 to 90 dBA 1 hour a day, 91 to 99 dBA 30 minutes, 100 dBA or over banned. On streets, parks and public parking lots: no tire squeal, engine-retarding brakes, excessive revving, or sound audible beyond 25 metres. Exempt: emergency vehicles, Town and utility maintenance, golf course mowing, transit, warning horns, Council-approved events. Special Exemption Permits available.Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 4.2-4.4; Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 5-6 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingduring the Day: 75 dBA during the Night 60 dBA during the Day: 95 dBA during the Night 75 dBA audible beyond 25 metres (82 feet) in any direction from the vehicle. person in a street, park, parking lot open to the public, or other similar place shall golf course mowing, between sunrise and sunset; A person may submit an application for a permit for special exemption |
| Who to call, business hours | Bylaw Enforcement, 250.738.2205 (Town Hall 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday). Complaints must be in writing with the complainant's name, address and phone. For barking dogs use the Barking Dog Complaint Form (qbtown@qualicumbeach.com). Noise complaints may be investigated only after two complaints from separate homes within 100 metres.Contact Us, Get in Touch; Animal Control, Noise Control; Bylaw Complaint Procedure, Policy 3000-19, Policy 3000-19, s.2(a),(e) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording| 250.752.6921 | Airport | 250.752.6921 | Bylaw Enforcement | 250.738.2205 | Building Inspection | 250.738.2202 To report a disturbance from a barking dog, fill out the Barking Dog Complaint Form and submit to qbtown@qualicumbeach.com of two separate complaints registered by two or more residents/owners who reside in or own two separate dwellings within 100 meters of the property. |
| Who to call, after hours | Not confirmed. The Town's contact page does not say its after-hours line handles noise. |
| Fine | Municipal ticket: $150 for each of the noise offences, including general disturbing noise, noisy animals, construction or power equipment outside the allowed hours, and sound equipment between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Each day is a separate offence.Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07, Sched. 8, items 1-22; Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 9.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingMake, cause, or permit noise in or on public / private place Keep or harbor animal which makes noise that disturbs $150.00 constitute a distinct andseparate offence. |
| Bylaw | Town of Qualicum Beach Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, 2016Noise Control Bylaw No. 706, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBylaw No. 706, 2016 |
How it works
The Noise Control Bylaw No. 706 bans making, causing or permitting noise in a public or private place that disturbs, or tends to disturb, the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of anyone in the neighbourhood, or that exceeds the bylaw's sound levels. Owners, tenants and occupiers must not let their property be used so that disturbing noise comes from it. Keeping an animal whose cries unreasonably disturb others is also banned.
Hours
- Amplified or played-back sound (radio, TV, stereo, instruments, sound equipment) must not be heard at a neighbour's property between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. daily.
- Construction noise is not allowed before 7 a.m. or after 8 p.m. daily, except Sundays and general holidays, when it is not allowed before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Power equipment (lawn mowers, leaf blowers, chain saws and the like) has the same hours.
- No fixed quiet hours are set for other ordinary noise. It is judged by whether it disturbs, plus the sound level limits.
Sound limits and exemptions
- Continuous sound at the neighbour's property: 75 dBA by day, 60 dBA by night. Non-continuous: 95 dBA day, 75 dBA night.
- On streets, parks and public parking lots: no tire squeal, engine-retarding brakes, excessive revving, or sound audible beyond 25 metres.
- Exempt: emergency vehicles, Town and utility maintenance, golf course mowing, transit, warning horns and Council-approved events. Special Exemption Permits are available; apply at least 10 business days before the event.
Steps to complain
- Put the complaint in writing with your name, address and phone number. The Town's complaint policy (3000-19) requires this.
- For a barking dog, use the Barking Dog Complaint Form (qbtown@qualicumbeach.com).
- Call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-738-2205 (Town Hall, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
- Noise complaints may be investigated only after two complaints from separate homes within 100 metres.
Good to know
- The ticket is $150 for each noise offence, and each day is a separate offence. A court can fine up to $10,000.
- The Town's contact page lists after-hours emergencies at 250-752-6921 but does not say it handles noise. The bylaw names the RCMP as bylaw officers.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Parksville · Lantzville · Port Alberni · Nanaimo · Sechelt · Comox
Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality →
Sources
- Noise Control Bylaw No. 706 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 626, consolidated to 626.07 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Complaint Procedure, Policy 3000-19 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Enforcement, Town of Qualicum Beach (read 2026-11-06)
- Animal Control, Town of Qualicum Beach (read 2026-11-06)
- Contact Us, Town of Qualicum Beach (read 2026-11-06)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.