Vancouver's bylaw regulating "untidy premises" has been amended to ... Adriane Carr said about light pollution. “But this now gives us a tool to formalize our authority over advancing any enforcement if we find we need to, in a particularly egregious situation. © 2020 Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. 196-2010 4 1 Introduction This document summarizes existing regulations related to lighting, in the City of Toronto. Refer This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In a nutshell, because unless there are rules and consequences most people tend to not care. But the new rules shouldn’t affect most regular Christmas lights, chief licence inspector Kathryn Holm said. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. But she worries the problem might continue. Join the mailing list to receive daily email updates. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. Comments are given as footnotes. They will push the limits. The city’s report illustrates the kinds of “poorly designed light fixtures that produce glare and light trespass,” including unshielded floodlights, wall-mounts or “period-style fixtures.”. In my experience over the years as an environmentalist and advocate for reducing light pollution, one of the biggest challenges with light pollution awareness is confronting people’s false notions about night time lighting. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Vancouver’s bylaw regulating “untidy premises” has been amended to include private property with nuisance outdoor lighting that interferes with neighbours’ peace and enjoyment of their own homes. They are fairly inexpensive and easy to install, according to a staff report that came to council in July. A welcome email is on its way. Outdoor lighting should not be excessively bright and it should be shielded so the light stays on your property and doesn’t disrupt or annoy your neighbours. I can’t live like this.”. Submit Feedback; Help Centre; Audience Relations, CBC P.O. It’s also being a good neighbour; not everyone appreciates your lights in their windows at night. A service request will be submitted for Municipal Licensing & Standards to investigate light from buildings or vehicle headlights shining directly into a dwelling. Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Vancouver Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Vehicles in Toronto making excessive noise will soon be targeted by police in an attempt to crackdown on noise pollution. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Huntsville, Ontario, is yet another town to take on this environmental pollution. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Bylaws are coming into effect in many cities and towns across Canada to deal with the out of control problem of light pollution. The amended bylaw takes effect Nov. 1, shortly before many residents will be putting up their Christmas lights. It is comprised primarily of the components; light trespass, glare and skyglow. Wasting light by allowing it to spill to the sides and up into the sky is costly in many ways. This photo illustrates the brightness of a pair of LED porch lights that are contribution to light pollution in some neighbourhoods. Often, Carr said, these problems come up in newer buildings with electronic LED lights in neighbourhoods where multi-family buildings are close together. People found in contravention of the untidy premises bylaw could be subject to fines ranging from $250 to $10,000 per offence, per day. Science and medical evidence being presented more and more these days, is showing direct links between light pollution and the negative effects it has on humans, wildlife, nocturnal species and our night time ecology. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Denise Johnson has lived in the East Fraser Lands in southeast Vancouver for 22 years, and says nuisance lighting only became an issue for her last year, when a new townhouse development was built across the street from her. Its luminous fog washing out the stars and Milky Way because of poorly designed and implemented outdoor lighting. The problems and damage from the light pollution were becoming evident so the town developed outdoor lighting ordinances to help reduce the negative effects and control further spread of it. Please try again. They erroneously believe that more lighting and brighter lighting makes them more safe. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. That somehow it is okay to pollute the environment. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. In doing so, they can make the ground brighter, while using lower wattage light bulbs, therefore using far less power. Did you know? Future buildings will also be subject to new requirements, as outlined in an amended building bylaw passed in July, which revised exterior lighting requirements to “further reduce nuisance lighting and light pollution.”. “Light pollution is an incredibly important issue to many people,” Carr said. Photo: Denise Johnson ], tap here to see other videos from our team. Earlier this month, she connected with Green Coun. Bylaw enforcement - light intrusion - light infiltration - lights shining into a home - buffering Contact 311, to file a complaint. It seems to be instilled from a young age to fear the dark. … This is not going away. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. Adriane Carr and raised her concerns. In the increasingly dense city, there has been a “significant increase in the amount of decorative outdoor lighting installed on private property,” the report says, which can have a “negative impact on neighbouring properties.”.