Port Moody to weigh installing noise cameras around city to monitor traffic racket

Port Moody will consider whether to install special cameras to monitor vehicle noise along its major transit routes.

A motion directing staff to report back on a potential pilot program plan was introduced by Couns. Samantha Agtarap and Diana Dilworth on Tuesday, receiving unanimous approval from council.

Council’s resolution to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) in September advocated for a provincial opt-in program to help strengthen noise regulations was endorsed. 

But Agtarap said the province can be slow to act on UBCM resolutions, sometimes taking years, and the city should forge ahead on its own.

“By doing this, the hope is that we would better understand the technology and we could also identify any potential issues that we may have, while also gaining some actual real data,” she said. “It’s at least worth investigating.”

Excess vehicle noise has well-documented negative effects on public health, well-being, and connectivity. While there are legal limits regarding allowable decibel levels, these regulations are rarely enforced by conventional law enforcement. 

“It’s not the most effective use of police time,” Agtarap said, adding aftermarket exhaust systems are a major one source of the racket.

Noise cameras, similar to red-light cameras, are high definition traffic cameras equipped with audio sensors which are triggered by noisy vehicles.

Agtarap said noise cameras are already employed in nine UK cities, Paris, New York City, and an earlier version of the technology was trialed in Calgary and Edmonton.

There are legal questions around privacy and data collection, Agtarap cautioned, adding the city would not be able to use the data for enforcement purposes.

However, she said a pilot program would lead to a greater understanding of vehicle noise within Port Moody, and would allow staff to test the relatively new technology ahead of any provincial moves.

Agtarap said there are also equity considerations, noting residents living near major routes, such as those housed in affordable housing units, are disproportionately affected by street-level noise.

“Everybody has a right to quiet,” she said, noting Port Moody is looking to increase density and affordable housing around its transit oriented areas.

Agtarap added Port Moody’s advocacy for quieter streets had received a fair amount of media attention, and a number of companies in the field have reached out offering up hardware for free.

Coun. Kyla Knowles was supportive, stating that while she has concerns around impact to the budget, she was encouraged by the prospect of potentially reducing the city’s costs.