Concerned citizens living in Ajax, Ont., are seeking the fast and furious support of the elected representatives of the 60 largest municipalities in Ontario, including North Bay to address excessively loud modified exhaust systems.
No Nuisance Noise Ontario originated as a group of 106 Ajax residents fed up with the "ever-increasing, ear-deafening noises being produced by vehicles whose mufflers have been altered to create and amplify noises such as backfires and machine gun sounds, to name but a few."
The group initially approached its local council to address their issues but quickly learned its target should be the Highway Traffic Act. Although the Town of Ajax resolved to deal with the problem, it found itself hamstrung by the existing provincial legislation.
No Nuisance Noise Ontario plans to write Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney, preferably with the full support of all 60 municipalities to which it has sent correspondence.
See related: Loud muffler? You could be in for $220 in fines
Although enforcement is occurring in municipalities across the province, including locally, the group seeks penalties with more teeth for scofflaws.
Suggested amendments to the Highway Traffic Act include:
- a specific, enforceable decibel limit (80 decibels is the proposed maximum);
- larger fines upon conviction; and,
- offenders would be required, within a set period of time, to show proof that their vehicle has been "re-modified" to meet standards.
No Nuisance Noise Ontario maintains the Highway Traffic Act "has not adequately dealt with the noise pollution problem," so the Ontario government should foot the bill for five years, covering the purchase and upkeep of the necessary monitoring equipment, the training of local personnel, and financial liability for the payment of local enforcement officers.
Exhaust systems capable of exceeding 80 decibels would not be permitted nor available for sale in Ontario. Proceeds from fines would be split 80/20 between the province and municipality under the proposal.
Coun. Chris Mayne, seconded by Coun. Mark King, will move during Tuesday's regular meeting for North Bay City Council to endorse and support the motion from the Town of Ajax to set a maximum decibel count for exhaust systems in Ontario.
According to the Highway Traffic Act, "A person having the control or charge of a motor vehicle shall not sound any bell, horn or other signalling devices so as to make an unreasonable noise, and a driver of any motor vehicle shall not permit any unreasonable amount of smoke to escape from the motor vehicle, nor shall the driver at any time cause the motor vehicle to make any unnecessary noise.
"Every motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle shall be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and excessive smoke, and no person shall use a muffler cut-out, straight exhaust, gutted muffler, hollywood muffler, by-pass or similar device upon a motor vehicle or motor assisted bicycle," and is subject to a $110 fine for unnecessary noise and $110 for an improper muffler, upon conviction.
If passed, a copy of the resolution will be sent to Mulroney, MPP Victor Fedeli, Chief of Police Scott Tod, the North Bay Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Town of Ajax and No Nuisance Noise Ontario.
