Saskatoon treads behind SGI in plans to change vehicle noise bylaw

The decision to shift vehicle noise limits to a unified cap on Saskatoon roadwaysnow lies with itscity council.

The City of Saskatoon's transportation committee voted in favour of recommending council follow Saskatchewan Government Insurance's(SGI's) recently introduced policy that limits light vehicle and motorcycle noise to 101.3 decibels, similar to the sound of a jackhammer.

The Crown corporation announced the policy in early June to set an objective limit and a precise way to test it, rather than leave a potential noise ticket to the discretion of police officers and in-field testing.

"We've been struggling as a municipality for as long as I remember to be able to respond to the concerns of residents around noise and vehicle noise," Mayor Charlie Clark said during the standing policy committee on transportation meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Saskatoon said it was bringing a report to the committee in a news release last week to better enforce the noise limits and address uncertainty with current policy.

Saskatoon transportation director Jay Magus said the policy also introduces more consistent testing in a controlled space.

A test method and procedure manual from SGI lays out specific requirements for testing areas including that it be free from sound-reflecting surfaces like other vehicles and sound-absorbing material like snow and standard instructions for how vehicles and motorcycles will be tested, including engine RPM or speed when the sound is collected.

Motorcyclists are the only road users in Saskatoon with noise restrictions, as bylaws stand now, limited to 92 decibels at idle or 96 decibels while moving.

The new bylaw would increase that cap to match SGI's policy at 101.3 decibels.

Magus said he doesn't believe the current volume limit for motorcycles is being enforced.

A report to the committeesaid the subjective assessments from police officers have been challenged in courts "several times" in North America and also noted that what is considered "excessive noise may very from person to person."

The report says there are no proposed changes to citations for excessive vehicle noise.

In a letter included in the council's agenda, Saskatoon Police Sgt. Jason Jacobson voiced his support forSGI's policy and said the police force "simply doesn't have the manpower or time to conduct noise testing on vehicles."

If city council passes the recommendation as provided by the committee, the noise bylaw would be amended to meet the new threshold and allow police officers to order volume testing for drivers and motorcyclists and the offence to be enforced through that process.

If approved, the bylaw would come into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.