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Sidney noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines

What are the noise rules and quiet hours in Sidney?

Sidney, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

Sidney's Noise Control Bylaw bans noise that disturbs the neighbourhood at any hour and sets no fixed quiet hours for ordinary noise. Construction is limited to Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A noise ticket is $390. Report to Bylaw Enforcement at 250-544-4743.

Key facts

General ruleNo one may make, or allow, any noise in a public or private place that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of people in the neighbourhood. Owners and occupiers must not let their property be used so that noise disturbs others.Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689, s. 2(a), 2(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
No person shall make or cause, or permit to be made or caused, any noise in or on a
public or private place which disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest,
No person being the owner, tenant or occupier of real property shall allow or permit
Quiet hoursNone set. Sidney's Noise Control Bylaw sets no fixed quiet hours for ordinary noise.
Construction hoursConstruction, including deliveries, site preparation and grading: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sundays and statutory holidays prohibited unless permitted, except owner or occupier home repairs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rock work, blasting, pile driving: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only.Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689, s. 4(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Monday to Friday between the hours of 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturdays between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday and Statutory Holidays - Prohibited unless authorized by a Permit
Rock Breaking, Rock Drilling and Rock Crushing:
Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
or Statutory Holiday between the hours of 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
Other limitsConstant hum, fan or heat pump over an hour in residential areas: 55 dBA 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., 45 dBA 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (complainant supplies an acoustic report). Chain saws: one two-hour period between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. per site, for home use. No loading or unloading in residential areas before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. The decibel and loading rules do not apply in the Downtown Commercial, West Side Industrial and Harbour Road Marine areas.Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689, s. 2(g), 2(h), 2(j)-(l) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
The use is restricted to any one two-hour period between the hours of 8:00
No person shall load, unload, deliver, collect, pack, unpack or otherwise handle any
55 dBA from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm daily; and
45 dBA from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am daily.
Notwithstanding Section 2, subsections 2(h) and 2(j) shall not apply to the areas
designated as Downtown Commercial, West Side Industrial, and Harbour Road
Who to call, business hoursSidney's Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-544-4743. Complaints must be made through the online Bylaw Complaint Form on the Town's Bylaw Enforcement page. Office hours Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Bylaw Enforcement · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Sidney’s Bylaw Enforcement Officer investigates written complaints submitted to the Town.
You can speak to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer by calling 250-544-4743.
Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Who to call, after hoursRCMP non-emergency line, 250-656-3931, for urgent matters outside Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Bylaw Enforcement, After Hours · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Matters of an urgent nature outside of normal business office hours of Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. should be referred to the RCMP
by calling their non-emergency line at 250-656-3931.
FineBylaw notice: $390 for noise that disturbs ($300 if paid within 14 days; $470 after 28 days); construction noise when not permitted or on a Sunday $390 (same early/late); amplified sound $200 ($150 early). Municipal ticket: the same offences are $390 ($300 within 30 days) and $200 ($150).Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2239, Schedule C, Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689, ss. 2(a), 2(c), 4(a), 4(b); Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2180, Schedule 8, ss. 2(a), 2(c), 4(a), 4(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Noise which 2 (a) $390.00 $300.00 $470.00
Persons playing 2 (c) $200.00 $150.00 $240.00
Construction 4 (a) $390.00 $300.00 $470.00
Construction 4 (b) $390.00 $300.00 $470.00
Noise which disturbs 2 (a) $390.00 $300.00
Persons playing amplified
Construction noise when
BylawNoise Control Bylaw 1689, 2001Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689, s. 8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
This Bylaw may be cited as “Noise Control Bylaw 1689, 2001”.

How it works

The Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689 bans any noise, in a public or private place, that disturbs or tends to disturb the quiet, peace, rest, enjoyment, comfort or convenience of people in the neighbourhood. It sets no fixed quiet hours for ordinary noise. It also bans disturbing amplified sound, animal or bird cries that unduly disturb the neighbourhood, and objectionable motor vehicle noise.

Steps

  1. Fill in the online Bylaw Complaint Form on the Town's Bylaw Enforcement page. Complaints must go through the form.
  2. For urgent matters outside Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., call the RCMP non-emergency line, 250-656-3931.

Good to know

  • Construction, including deliveries, site preparation and grading: Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays and statutory holidays are prohibited unless permitted, except owner or occupier home repairs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Rock work, blasting and pile driving: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only.
  • Chain saws: one two-hour period between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. per site, for home use.
  • No loading or unloading in residential areas before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
  • Constant hum, fan or heat pump over an hour in residential areas: 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The decibel and loading rules do not apply in the Downtown Commercial, West Side Industrial and Harbour Road Marine areas.
  • Other bylaw notices: amplified sound $200 ($150 early); chain saw, late loading, animal noise and vehicle noise $130 ($100 early, $160 late). Municipal tickets: noise that disturbs and construction are $390 ($300 within 30 days); amplified sound is $200 ($150).
  • The Town notes it is working with reduced bylaw enforcement capacity.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

North Saanich · Central Saanich · Highlands · Saanich · View Royal · Langford

Noise bylaws in British Columbia: quiet hours, construction hours and fines by municipality →

Sources

  1. Noise Control Bylaw No. 1689 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
  2. Bylaw Enforcement, Town of Sidney (read 2026-11-06)
  3. Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2239 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
  4. Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 2180 (PDF) (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 is recorded as not set. How answers are checked.