Unnecessary noise from vehicles, barking dogs and construction noises top the list of common nuisances for Canadians.
Vancouver, BC [May 29, 2023] – The proportion of Canadians who feel their city or town has become more strident has increased, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 54% of Canadians believe their city or town has become noisier over the past year, up five points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in August 2022.
More than three-in-five residents of Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia (61% each) think their city or town is more strident now than in 2022. The proportions are lower in Quebec (50%), Atlantic Canada (45%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (44%).
A third of Canadians (32%, +2) say their home is noisier now than last year, while more than two-in-five (43%, +2) feel the same way about their street.
Over the past year, almost a third of Canadians (32%, -4) have been bothered by unnecessary noise from vehicles (such as motorcycles and cars revving up) while inside their homes. Only two other nuisances come close to this level: dogs barking (30%, +3) and construction-related noises (such as roofing, land clearing and heavy machinery) (29%, =).
More than one-in-five Canadians have been exposed to other noises a home, such as loud people outside (23%, -5), a car alarm (22%, -3), loud music playing inside a vehicle (also 22%, +1), loud music at a nearby home (21%, +3) and drivers honking the horn excessively (also 21%, +1).
Fewer Canadians report being bothered by yard work (such as lawnmowers and leaf blowers) (20%, -5), yelling or screaming at a nearby home (20% (+1), fireworks (also 20%, +2), power tools (such as electric saws and sanders) (19%, -2), a loud gathering or party at a nearby home (16%, -1), a home alarm (11%, +1) or cats meowing (7%, =).
Across the country, 16% of Canadians (+2) say they are wearing earplugs to mitigate noise while inside their home, while 11% (+4) have acquired hardware, such as noise cancelling headphones or earphones.
Fewer Canadians have reported noise concerns to the police (9%, +1) or moved away from their previous home because of noise (6%, +1).
“The proportion of Canadians who have not taken any action to deal with noise inside their home has fallen from 74% in 2022 to 67% in 2023,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Canadians aged 18-to-34 are more likely to be wearing earplugs or acquiring special hardware to mitigate noise.”
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from May 19 to May 21, 2023, among 1,000 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490 [e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca