After facing backlash from starting construction work before the permissible hours of the City of Victoria’s noise bylaw, Aryze Developments has obtained a permit that allows contractors to begin working earlier on weekends.
The construction site in question is the Estoya, a new 12-storey purpose-built rental building located on the corner of Fisgard and Quadra Streets.
According to residents living in adjacent buildings, the site has been plagued with workers ignoring the City’s noise bylaws and starting work early nearly every Saturday, and oftentimes throughout the week.
In Victoria, construction can only take place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays, and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
One nearby resident documented 17 occasions since October 2025 in which work started before the permissible hours. On one such occasion, workers allegedly began construction at 4:15 a.m.
In mid-January, Aryze told Victoria Buzz that the company would ensure that going forward the construction companies on site would comply with the City’s noise bylaws.
This assurance came after receiving several warnings and eight fines from Victoria Bylaw Services. As per the City’s noise bylaw fine schedule, each of these fines would have cost $350, or $300 if paid within 30 days.
Despite the recent compliance with the City’s bylaws, Aryze has recently obtained an exception permit which will allow them to start work early on Saturdays.
Where before they could not start before 10 a.m., now workers can start as early as 8 a.m.
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One resident of a nearby building, Brooke Ough, says that this exemption will definitely have a negative impact on herself and her neighbours.
I think it’s pretty unfair to the community,” Ough told Victoria Buzz. “Obviously we need more housing, and I want there to be more housing.”
“However, when you are already subjected to constant noise from construction from before you wake up during the week till the time you are at home relaxing after a hard day of work, it’s a lot.”
She says that the levels of noise have made it difficult to enjoy just simply being at home, or being able to open the windows on hot days. Furthermore, as someone who works from home, Ough says it has made some tasks difficult.
She admits that the noise is a “necessary evil,” but does not want to be woken up and disturbed every Saturday morning.
“I work 40 hours a week, and frankly just want to use my Saturday mornings to sleep,” she explained.
“The world is hard enough as it is, and I’m already dealing with them from [7 a.m. to 7 p.m.], Monday to Friday, [isn’t] that enough?”
Aryze Developments went around to neighbouring apartment buildings and posted on their community bulletin boards to share the details of the noise bylaw exemption permit.
In this posting, Aryze claims that noise-mitigation measures will be put in place.
Some of these measures include prioritizing lower impact work between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., deferring use of heavy duty machinery until later in the day and monitoring noise with a decibel meter.
Aryze encourages nearby residents to email them if they have any questions or concerns about the noise management plan.
