Toronto's noisy Rogers Stadium could get a huge sound barrier

The music at Toronto's Rogers Stadium is loud, and so are the complaints.

City councillors are asking the City Manager to work with Live Nation, the company that operates the temporary stadium on the former Downsview Airport lands, to explore new ways to reduce concert noise.

The move comes amid complaints from residents in Toronto and even Vaughan, who say they're sick of hearing the booming bass and amplified music coming from the massive outdoor venue. 

Ward 6 - York Centre Councillor James Pasternak has brought forward a motion, backed by Ward 18 - Willowdale Councillor Lily Cheng, to City Council aimed at making concert nights quieter for residents without totally pulling the plug on Toronto's newest outdoor venue, which opened its doors in summer 2025.

Rogers Stadium's first full season wasn't entirely smooth sailing. Despite attracting some of the biggest names in music and earning the title of Canada's largest outdoor concert venue, the stadium received numerous complaints from concertgoers about overcrowding, disorganization and the less-than-ideal transit trek it takes to get there.

Now in its second year of operation, Toronto residents —  particularly those in York Centre, Willowdale and Vaughan —  are still raising "serious concerns" about noise levels at the venue, particularly the low-frequency bass that can travel surprisingly long distances, the motion states.

Pasternak is asking the City to work with Live Nation to hire an independent acoustics expert to study the venue and recommend upgrades that could help reduce sound carrying into surrounding neighbourhoods. He also wants the City to explore the possibility of having Live Nation construct a noise buffer and install other special equipment in areas that have generated repeated complaints.

The motion explores the construction of a sound barrier berm on the edge of the west Allen East District, at Live Nation's expense. Essentially, a soil mound built around the property would dampen sound from the stadium and reduce noise for nearby homes.

Residents have reportedly been calling 311 to complain about the noise, but some say they have received "contradictory" information about bylaws and available enforcement options. As a result, councillors are also calling for a more coordinated response from the City.

Understandably, residents may enjoy a Bruno Mars hit or two, but that doesn't mean they want the bass from "24K Magic" rattling their apartment walls on a Tuesday night.

According to the motion, Live Nation says it has already installed soundproof cladding at the stadium ahead of the 2026 concert season, which kicked off with Mars performing on May 31 (but was scrapped at the last minute due to heavy rainfall). While some residents have reported improvements, others argue they haven't noticed a thing.

The motion will be considered at the upcoming June 24-26 City Council meeting.