The City of Calgary is recommending that city noise data be shared with interested researchers to study the impact of noise on residents. This recommendation follows a motion from Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott, calling for the administration to develop a noise policy vision. A city report states that exposure to traffic noise above 53 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night can increase the risk of adverse health effects. However, city officials explained that the administration does not currently have the capacity or resources to undertake such a study, as they have a full plate of priorities. Developing the capacity for this study would require several years of effort and hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenditure.
Instead of taking on the study themselves, the city administration plans to provide collected noise data to researchers who are interested in exploring the issue further. This partnership could involve researchers with federal grant funding or those working on PhDs, allowing them to access the city’s data for their studies. Work is already underway on a noise monitoring pilot project, which involves city bylaw officers and the creation of a Traffic Safety Team to address vehicle noise issues. The project was prompted by concerns raised by residents, particularly regarding vehicle noise in areas like 17 Avenue in the Beltline.
Bylaw officers in Calgary have been undergoing training with Calgary Police on traffic enforcement, following the addition of two sergeants and eight peace officers. The next step in the noise monitoring project is the installation of 40 devices to study noise levels across the city, starting next month. This data collection will enable officials to visualize noise levels across different areas and times of the week, helping with deployment strategies. The launch of the traffic safety team is scheduled for later in the year, with an initial focus on school zone safety before shifting to vehicle noise enforcement in the spring after baseline noise data is collected. Despite these efforts, some residents are concerned about potential overreaching in noise enforcement.
While there are ongoing initiatives to address noise issues in Calgary, city councillors have indicated that the development of an overarching noise strategy is not likely to happen in the near future. The administration’s focus is on providing data to researchers and implementing measures to address noise concerns, such as the noise monitoring pilot project and the establishment of a Traffic Safety Team. The ultimate goal is to better understand and mitigate the impact of noise on residents’ health and well-being. However, the administration’s current priorities and resource limitations mean that a comprehensive noise strategy may be delayed until a later time.setEnabled, allowing researchers with expressed interest or funding to access data for their studies. The ongoing noise monitoring project is expected to provide valuable insights into noise levels across the city, leading to more targeted deployment strategies for addressing noise concerns, particularly related to vehicle noise.
