Toronto residents say years of construction noise has pushed them to the brink

Residents in a rapidly developing Toronto neighbourhood claim rampant construction noise is taking a toll on their everyday lives.

The ongoing development of the Parkside Square rental complex near the intersection of Sheppard Ave. E. and Consumers Rd. in North York has become impossible for tenants of the project’s initial phases to ignore, as many claim construction noise for adjacent phases starts early, carries throughout the day and, on rare occasions, at night.

What used to be a predominantly commercial area, this pocket of the city has transformed over the last several years into a burgeoning vertical residential community.

To date, two high-rise rental towers with 301 and 483 units have been completed in the Parkside Square community. The multi-phase project, however, is only halfway done, with two additional buildings still under construction from developer Tribute Communities.

And despite the obvious signs that long-term construction would be a challenge of living in a half-built community, some residents seem to have underestimated the issues they’d be facing.

One resident, who asked not to be named for privacy reasons, tells blogTO they signed their lease at 325 Yorkland Blvd. in mid-2024, unaware of the extensive construction on the adjacent phases and ongoing renovations within their new building.

“When we signed the lease, I specifically asked if the construction on our floor would be over by the time we moved in. I was told it was already finished and I didn’t need to worry about it,” they say. “I also asked about the construction next to [my] building and was again told that the construction would not begin for at least two years.”

The resident says their building, managed by Rhapsody Property Management, directly faces the 15 Smooth Rose Ct. construction site, making day-to-day life extremely difficult for their family, including a newborn baby.

While this noise is undoubtedly disruptive to a new family raising a baby, details of the project’s future phases have been publicly available for years, and residents may not have done their own due diligence when signing a lease in an area well known for construction.

“We were unable to open windows or use our balcony and terrace throughout the summer due to the noise and dust from the construction,” they say. To this day, as construction continues, no relief has been provided aside from a pair of disposable earplugs.

The constant noise disrupts the baby’s sleep, while the two work-from-home parents struggle to focus during the day. Even simple things like letting in fresh air or natural light have become difficult, as they often have to keep windows shut and curtains drawn to block out the construction.

These ongoing issues have left them with very limited options: either stick it out or move out.

One of the upcoming towers at Parkside Square. Photo courtesy of Turner Fleischer. 

For other tenants, the impact goes beyond inconvenience and affects their overall health.

Yanmy Cheung tells blogTO that after taking two weeks off to recover from a concussion in July 2025, the constant sounds of drilling, sawing and hammering made it difficult to get proper rest and ultimately prolonged their symptoms.

“Due to the ongoing noise, my post-concussion symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, persisted for nearly six months,” they say.

Currently, Cheung has relocated to a higher floor of the building due to an unrelated flood affecting their unit, but is anxious about what might happen when they return, given that the noise continues to persist daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Without recent updates about the current noise level, I am concerned about whether returning to my unit will further affect my health,” they say. 

Large-scale developments like Parkside Square are typically completed in multiple phases over several years, and understanding the extent of nearby construction is often part of the due diligence for prospective buyers and renters.

Whether we like it or not, living in a high-density residential area means accepting the annoying construction noise as part of our daily soundtrack.

But Toronto does have rules around construction noise. The city’s bylaw allows work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, with no construction permitted on Sundays or statutory holidays. Even during those hours, builders are expected to keep noise to a minimum.

Cheung also recalls “many instances” where construction continued beyond permitted hours, including one night in February 2026 when loud noise allegedly went on until midnight, forcing them to file a report with 311. They later found out through Councillor Shelley Carroll that the company had a “special permit” and was granted permission to continue. 

It seems there’s no end in sight for Cheung and the other residents of Parkside Square who have been very vocal about their struggles.

“No matter how many times we contact 311, reach out to the Landlord and Tenant Board, or ask the district councillor for help, nothing changes. The conditions remain exactly the same.”

While some sources suggest a targeted completion by 2027, no official date has been finalized, and construction at 15 Smooth Rose Ct. will continue for the time being.