Turbo Haüs, a bar located in the heart of the Latin Quarter, received a warning from the City of Montreal asking it to make less noise, otherwise it could be fined up to $12,000. The owner accuses the City of wanting the skin of the middle of the night, which is barely recovering from the pandemic years.
“The City speaks out of both sides of its mouth. On the one hand, they say that we need bars and restaurants because Rue Saint-Denis is dying. But on the other hand, we are doing everything to put obstacles in our way,” says Sergio Da Silva, the owner of Turbo Haüs.
This bar, which presents rock music shows, was set up on the corner of Saint-Denis and Ontario streets five years ago. Since then, Mr. Da Silva says he has had problems with the City on several occasions, but he says this is the first time that noise has posed a problem for the municipal administration.
The City speaks out of both sides of its mouth. On the one hand, they say that we need bars and restaurants because Rue Saint-Denis is dying. But on the other hand, we do everything to put obstacles in our way.
In the notice sent to him by the City, he was informed that he was violating the municipal noise by-law and that he therefore risks a fine ranging from $1,500 to $12,000 if corrections are not made. . “Noise produced by means of sound devices, whether located inside a building or installed or used outside, is specifically prohibited when it is heard outside or in another premises”, we can read in the notice that Sergio Da Silva received and which he shared on social networks on Monday.
Never enough
Turbo Haüs previously had a storefront in the Saint-Henri district. At the time, Mr. Da Silva had received complaints from the neighborhood about the noise. He had chosen to move in 2018 to the Latin Quarter, a very non-residential area, because he thought it would not be a problem.
“I completely understand that in Saint-Henri, we made too much noise. It is a residential and family area. But rue Saint-Denis is precisely made for bars. It’s complete rubbish. It’s as if we never do enough,” laments the owner, who ensures that he respects the regulations. He points out that all the rock shows that took place at Turbo Haüs ended at 11 p.m., in accordance with the rules set out by the City of Montreal.
According to the City, this is the first time that Turbo Haüs has been the subject of a complaint since its move to Saint-Denis Street. “For reasons of confidentiality”, it was not possible to know whether this complaint came from a resident or a merchant on the artery.
The Plante administration specified that a program is available to bar owners, like Mr. Da Silva, to better soundproof their installations.
Gentrification
In 2018, the Divan orange, a legendary performance hall on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, closed its doors after receiving several fines because of a tenant who lived on the upper floor and who was disturbed by the noise.
Last May, the Superior Court forced La Tulipe, on Papineau Avenue, to lower the volume on show nights in order to accommodate a neighbor. The latter was able to set up an apartment in an adjacent building because of a City of Montreal official who had changed the zoning by mistake. A performance hall has existed for more than 100 years at this location, but the Court determined that there are “no vested rights to a nuisance.”
The Nouvelle Association des bars du Québec expects an increase in complaints about noise in the coming years, as more and more residential buildings are built in areas popular with night owls.
“Right now, I’d be lying if I said it’s a big deal. There are a few cases, but the police still know how to sort things out when there is a complaint. Those who settle in Montreal in areas where there have always been bars must be aware of this,” says the president of the association, Pierre Thibault.