Montreal music venues call for rule changes as noise complaints choke industry
CTV
Many club owners are calling on Montreal to update noise bylaws and development rules to better protect its small venues — revered nightlife destinations that have in recent years found themselves increasingly surrounded by new residential construction.
Montreal bar and live music venue Turbo Haüs is doing everything it can to mitigate noise and be a good neighbour, says co-owner Sergio Da Silva.
The punk rock institution moved in 2018 from a mostly residential neighbourhood to the lively downtown theatre district known as the Quartier des Spectacles. It spent thousands of dollars soundproofing the new space and pays an extra $3,200 in rent each month to keep the two apartments above it empty.
So a warning from the city last week to reduce noise came as a shock.
"Nice to know it's illegal to have des spectacles in the … Quartier des Spectacles," Turbo Haüs lamented in a widely circulated social media post alongside a screenshot of the city notice, which threatens fines of up to $12,000.
"It's a bit surprising and pretty frustrating to be honest," Da Silva said in a recent interview.
He's one of several club owners calling on Montreal to update noise bylaws and development rules to better protect its small venues — revered nightlife destinations that have in recent years found themselves increasingly surrounded by new residential construction.
The venues serve as a key avenue to success for emerging artists, says Dan Seligman, creative director of music festival POP Montreal. Band Arcade Fire and DJ Kaytranada are among the countless acts that bounced between Montreal clubs and stages on their way to greater fame, he said.
