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David Aitken, who oversees Edmonton’s enforcement teams, said staff will visit complaint hot spots this summer and report back on their progress this fall. They will also ask Edmonton police to outline enforcement practices regarding buskers and other people making noise that disturbs the public.

Coun. Ben Henderson said he gets many complaints about the man who bangs on plastic bins. He also gets complaints about a busker who frequently uses a microphone and speaker to rap on Whyte Avenue at 2 a.m. “This is a long-standing problem that is getting worse again,” he said.

Edmonton’s current bylaw prohibits “any noise that disturbs the peace of another individual.” It’s currently only enforced on a complaint basis. If the bylaw officer can’t hear the noise when he or she arrives, the person complaining is required to submit a witness statement and potentially appear in court to testify their peace was disturbed.

The city received 1,000 noise complaints last year. They gave 650 warnings and wrote about 20 tickets.

Several people spoke against tightening the regulations against amplified noise, especially if it could mean protesters would no longer be able to use bullhorns.

“Say I want to protest something that does not meet the interests of powerful people, corporate interests. They already abuse a lot of power as it is,” Justin Lichty said. “How can you guarantee the enforcement won’t abuse this?”

Two street preachers called it an issue of freedom of speech, since their speakers were set at half or a quarter of the volume of the buskers that regularly play in Churchill Square. “This has everything to do with the Lord Jesus Christ,” Dale Kornel said. “You don’t want to be fighting against God on this issue.”

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