MONTREAL, April 9, 2026 – Plateau-Mont-Royal is the first borough to implement a major overhaul of its noise regulations this spring. The result of several months of work and an extensive public consultation process involving more than 14,000 people, this modernization aims to better balance residents’ need for peace and quiet with the protection of cultural vitality. This new approach addresses noise-related issues from a collaborative perspective, prioritizing sustainable and long-term solutions.
The Noise Bylaw for the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough will be the subject of a notice of motion at the borough council meeting on April 13. It is scheduled to be adopted at the meeting on May 4.
“With this modernized approach, we will now have a framework that is much better suited to a borough as densely populated and culturally vibrant as Le Plateau-Mont-Royal. By involving the Association des scènes de musique alternatives du Québec (SMAQ), Les Veilleurs, and MTL 24/24 in this new approach, we ensure that we remain in step with international best practices regarding coexistence and assess whether further adjustments are necessary,” stated Cathy Wong, mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
Police Powers of Intervention
Section 29 of the new bylaw provides that the competent authority may intervene when it has reasonable grounds to believe that a person’s peace is being disturbed by noise deemed disruptive or excessive.
For performance venues, borough teams will be solely responsible for enforcing this section. The Montreal Police Service (SPVM) will not intervene under the new noise regulations for this type of establishment.
Noise Thresholds
One of the key elements of the new regulations is the introduction of the concept of spectral emergence to measure the sound generated by performance venues. Recognized internationally for over 20 years, this method measures the difference between ambient noise (including background noise and noise emitted by the performance venue) and background noise alone (i.e., the “normal” sound level of an urban environment when the performance venue is not in operation).
Nightlife Establishments: New Complaint Management Process
To ensure that noise complaints are handled quickly and appropriately, the borough will implement a new complaint management process for nightlife establishments (performance venues and bars) based on dialogue and support.
At any time, residents can submit a complaint to the borough via 311 or an online form. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, between 9:00 p.m. and 3:30 a.m., complaints regarding nightlife establishments can be submitted to a team responsible for verifying their validity in public areas.
This team, established as part of a pilot project running from June 12 to October 31, 2026, will be supervised by the Société de développement commercial du boulevard Saint-Laurent (SDBSL). It will complement the Veilleurs team, already active in the area, whose mandate is to ensure harmonious coexistence at night.
“The proposed measures are clearly a step in the right direction. They recognize the importance of a vibrant nightlife and its role in the borough’s appeal. The approach, which focuses on dialogue, support, and targeted interventions—notably the expanded deployment of our Veilleurs as a pilot project—provides a solid foundation for fostering harmonious and sustainable coexistence between residential areas and cultural and entertainment venues. “It will be important to ensure consistent and predictable enforcement on the ground,” emphasizes SDBSL Executive Director Tasha Morizio.
Support for Nighttime Establishments
If a nighttime establishment (performance venue or bar) is the subject of noise complaints, the borough will notify it and offer a support process aimed at ensuring compliance. Offered on a voluntary basis, this support aims to promote proactive resolution of problematic situations and limit the use of fines, which have been reduced to the minimum thresholds in effect in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
To this end, the SMAQ association has been commissioned by the borough to provide personalized support to the affected establishments. This initiative aims to establish a constructive dialogue between the borough, performance venues, and bars, with the goal of ensuring compliance with regulations while supporting local cultural vitality, following the example of practices implemented in other cities, notably Berlin and New York.
“This draft bylaw represents a significant step forward following the recent elections. Commitments are being fulfilled, and we are proud to have contributed to this process and to be participating in its implementation. We encourage other boroughs, particularly Ville-Marie, to follow suit and quickly begin updating their own by-laws. This is a key opportunity to rebuild trust between the independent cultural sector and the City of Montreal,” explains Jon Weisz, Executive Director of the SMAQ association.
“The Plateau-Mont-Royal neighborhood is home to many of Montreal’s most iconic landmarks, but it has also been the epicenter of neighborhood conflicts over noise that have led to numerous business closures. The new noise bylaw represents a welcome step toward a more modern, balanced, and proactive framework. We welcome the shift toward support and dialogue rather than penalties, as well as the inclusion of community partners, such as the SMAQs and the Veilleurs, in conflict mediation. We are ready to support the implementation of this bylaw as needed and see it as a positive example that can inspire other boroughs,” concludes Martin Chartrand, Executive Director of MTL 24/24.
For more information:
Citizen Relations and Communications Division: communicationsplateau@montreal.ca
