ListenUp MTL

The sound of recreational activities is often considered a necessary nuisance of urban economy to be mitigated and while urban life must respond to the needs and expectations of both residents and visitors, its sounds sit at the intersection of concerns on liveability of and vitality and challenges ideas on successful sonic cohabitation.

Sounds in the City collaborated with the City of Montreal and Montreal’s public health department (DRSP) to develop ÉcoutezMTL / ListenUpMTL - a mixed methods study aimed at better understanding the complexity of living in the vicinity of vibrant urban neighborhoods, focusing on two pedestrianized streets and the entertainment district (Quartier des Spectacles) in downtown Montreal. Using sound level measurements, surveys, resident diaries and interviews, we aimed to complement the existing limited, negative portrayal of recreational noise and nightlife in the media, public imagination, and in policy. Our research shows that the sounds from recreational activities (including festivals and events as well as everyday street life) are not always perceived negatively by residents, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of sonic cohabitation lie elsewhere.

For details, please contact: Edda Bild

For media coverage on the project, check these links:

Provost A.M. (2022, Sept. 16). Le son, cet oublié des villes. [Description of MITACS-funded project with Ville de Montreal]. Le devoir.(in French)

Gyulai, L., (2021, Oct. 3). Noise observatory still necessary, still in the works, councillors say. Montreal Gazette.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. (2021, Sept. 28). The sounds of downtown [Radio interview with postdoc Daniel Steele and collaborators]. Daybreak.

For the academic output, consult these publications and links:

Bild, E., Steele, D., & Guastavino, C. (2024). Supporting the living laboratory: a literature review of Montreal sound-related research. Journal of Planning Literature.