{"id":"heat-pump-noise-limits-greater-victoria","title":"Heat pump noise limits by municipality, Greater Victoria (2026)","description":"Decibel limits, night hours, whether the bylaw names heat pumps, tonal penalties and where the reading is taken, for all 13 municipalities, quoted from each municipality's bylaw.","publisher":"Greater Victoria Heat Pumps","url":"https://greatervictoriaheatpumps.com/data/heat-pump-noise-limits-greater-victoria","license":"CC BY 4.0: free to reuse with attribution to Greater Victoria Heat Pumps and a link to the dataset page.","verified":"2026-09-18","recheck_by":"2026-11-17","sources":["D-01","D-02","D-02b","D-03","D-04","D-05","D-06","D-07","D-09","D-10","D-11","D-12","D-13","D-14"],"columns":["municipality","bylaw","day_db","night_db","night_hours","heat_pump_named","tonal_penalty_db","measured_at","placement_rule","electrical_permit_issuer"],"rows":[{"municipality":"City of Victoria","bylaw":"Noise Bylaw No. 03-012","day_db":55,"night_db":45,"night_hours":"10 p.m.–7 a.m.","heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":5,"measured_at":"point of reception within the recipient's property line (Quiet District limits)","placement_rule":"no heat-pump-specific rule found","electrical_permit_issuer":"City of Victoria"},{"municipality":"District of Saanich","bylaw":"Noise Suppression Bylaw, 1993, No. 7059, s.7 'Heat pumps and water pumps'","day_db":50,"night_db":45,"night_hours":"10 p.m.–7 a.m.","heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"point of reception in a Quiet Zone","placement_rule":"no heat-pump-specific rule found","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"District of Oak Bay","bylaw":"Anti-Noise Bylaw No. 3210 (heat pump clause per Bylaw 4902)","day_db":50,"night_db":45,"night_hours":"10 p.m.–7 a.m.","heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"any property line","placement_rule":"Per the District's 2025 guide: allowed in front, side and rear yards including within setbacks if at least 1.5 m from the property line; front-yard units need screening.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"Township of Esquimalt","bylaw":"Maintenance of Property and Nuisance Regulation Bylaw, 2014, No. 2826","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":"10 p.m.–7 a.m. Mon–Fri; 10 p.m.–9 a.m. weekends/holidays","heat_pump_named":"no","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative: noise 'which can be easily heard by a person not on the same land or building and which disturbs'","placement_rule":"The former '6 metres from any property line' heat pump rule was removed by Bylaw 2861 (2015); no zoning siting rule now.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"Town of View Royal","bylaw":"Noise Control Bylaw, 2003, No. 523","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"no","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative","placement_rule":"Zoning Bylaw No. 900 s.4.6.4: residential heat pumps are not permitted within the front, side or flanking yard and must be at least 3 m from any side or flanking lot line; may project up to 1.5 m into the required rear yard setback.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"City of Colwood","bylaw":"Noise Control Bylaw No. 1594, 2016","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"no","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative","placement_rule":"no heat-pump-specific rule found","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"City of Langford","bylaw":"Noise Regulation Bylaw No. 2056","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative","placement_rule":"Zoning Bylaw 300 defines a heat pump as part of a 'structure'; no express projection allowance into setbacks.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"Town of Sidney","bylaw":"Bylaw No. 1689 (noise)","day_db":55,"night_db":45,"night_hours":"10 p.m.–7 a.m.","heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"property line (acoustic consultant report may be required)","placement_rule":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 s.5.1.12: not in a front yard or exterior side yard; at least 1 m from any lot line; screened with a year-round opaque visual barrier.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"District of Central Saanich","bylaw":"Noise Suppression Bylaw No. 933, s.5(b)","day_db":45,"night_db":45,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"a point of reception in a residential area, outside the property line","placement_rule":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2270 (2026) s.4.6: not in a front yard; acoustic screening when sited 3 m or less from a side or rear property line.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"District of North Saanich","bylaw":"Noise Bylaw No. 1383 (2015), s.11","day_db":45,"night_db":45,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"yes","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"a point of reception in a residential area","placement_rule":"no heat-pump-specific rule found","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"District of Sooke","bylaw":"Noise Control Bylaw No. 485 (2011)","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"no","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative","placement_rule":"Zoning Bylaw No. 600: heating or ventilating equipment may project up to 0.6 m into a yard; no heat pump clause.","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"District of Metchosin","bylaw":"Noise Bylaw, 1995, No. 260","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"no","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative","placement_rule":"no heat-pump-specific rule found","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"},{"municipality":"District of Highlands","bylaw":"Bylaw No. 961 (CRD Noise Suppression Bylaw, 1981, adopted)","day_db":null,"night_db":null,"night_hours":null,"heat_pump_named":"no","tonal_penalty_db":null,"measured_at":"qualitative","placement_rule":"no heat-pump-specific rule found","electrical_permit_issuer":"Technical Safety BC"}]}