Unless you've been living in a soundproof bubble, you might have noticed that Toronto has gotten a lot louder this past year ... or at least it feels that way. 

In fact, according to a new national poll by Research Co., 27 per cent of Canadians say their city or town has become noisier over the past year.

You live in a city, deal with it! I tell myself. The neighbour below me speaks so loudly, I can hear the intonation of her sentences. Her radio is on all night. The dog upstairs has GPS and drops his toys right above my head. Construction site has a nighttime generator. pic.twitter.com/ORiBRdhmAn

— TheMSardy (@TheMSardy) February 5, 2021

And since the pandemic started, people are becoming more aware of just how loud this city is. 

Twitter is filled with noise complaints from Toronto residents. 

The noise in Toronto due to condo construction is unbearable !!! Locked down and driven mad but non stop noise, concrete cutting, banging, drilling @fordnation @cityoftoronto no one wants to live in these shoebox suites!! I hope the Toronto exodus lasts and picks ups the pace

— Rosie (@roseokayjay) February 3, 2021

There's certainly alot of complaints about construction, especially the late night construction noise thanks to the new extended hours.

YYZ aircraft noise
Feb 9, '12 @navcanada & @TorontoPearson unilaterally moved unnecessary, low-altitude, acoustically-torturous, downwind-leg arrivals #concentr8djetpaths over 100s of 1000s of GTA citizens
This noise, 20km from YYZ, every 30 sec. Aircraft is heading away from YYZ pic.twitter.com/TjaexQ5180

— Ken Burford (@MorCivlSociety) February 4, 2021

But people are complaining about everything. Squeaky TTC tracks, loud airplanes, barking dogs, noisy neighbours, you name it – the noise is constant, relentless and feels inescapable. 

All day. Every day. No end in sight. It's usually worse then this to. pic.twitter.com/xE8xqlaPfl

— Betty Rose (@bluejaybetty) February 4, 2021

Earlier this year Toronto residents were so annoyed with leaf blowers they wanted to ban them. 

Ha, I am VERY sympathetic to your plight! I live next to a very noisy alley, and just had to endure a solid 10 minutes of someone honking their car horn. Even the sound of my fridge running has been setting me off... I can't imagine incessant jackhammering.

— Frances Mahon (she/her) (@francesmahonlaw) February 4, 2021

Plus with the ongoing stay-at-home orders people are even more fed up with the sound than they might be if they could leave their four walls.

Personally, I've been plotting various clever ways to get my upstairs neighbours to move out for the last six months. They're university students who have a loose regard for the COVID rules and my hatred for them grows with each loud stomp. 

I feel like the man in the Friends episode who bangs on the ceiling with the broom, except I don't own a broom, so I just glare at my ceilling. 

Currently happening on our block: huge party with DJ, catering, fog machine, lasers. Happy social distancing everyone. pic.twitter.com/i8ePYEvJw9

— Hanno Rein 💫 (@hannorein) July 26, 2020

But Torontonians are not alone in our growing irritation for noises.

They are building a condo right beside my apartment and I hear noise ALL DAY LONG.... Try listening to construction trucks beeping noise for 10 hours a day 6 days week pic.twitter.com/aVSr4hnJIO

— Patricia (@Patrici60218604) February 5, 2021

That same national survey found that almost 80 per cent of Canadians aged 18-34 said they were bothered by outside noises when they were home this past year, and about two thirds of people over 35 were annoyed by outside noise. 

Unfortunately, despite everyone's grievances when it comes to unwanted noise, there's not much we can do.

I suggest ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones for immediate relief, but if you think someone is violating a noise bylaw, you can call 311 or another bylaw enforcement hotline for advice.