Fort McMurray residents sound off after council suspends noise bylaw

Some Fort McMurray residents are raising concerns about a noise bylaw town council approved Tuesday night to allow construction companies to operate 24/7 as they rebuild homes and critical infrastructure destroyed or postponed by this spring's wildfire.

The bylaw, which councillors supported unanimously, will allowconstruction to continue outside normally prohibited hours of 11p.m. to 7 a.m. during the wildfire recovery period.

"It's going to be quite a loud summer and it is going to require sacrifice," Coun.Sheldon Germain said.

Caroline Power is one of those residentscouncil is calling on to sacrifice.

The Thickwood resident told councillors that in addition to reconstruction, council also needs to take into account themental health of residents.

Power said that many people are in a fragile states mentally since the wildfire, and counselling sessions residents have attendedhave emphasized the importance of sleep to mental health.

"This is going to affect the ability to be Fort Mac Strong," she said.

Power said she understands that residents need to rebuild and said her own daughter lost her home in the fire.

Paul McLeod, owner of Vancon ServicesInc., agreed that council should extend working hours but said it should alsoplace restrictions on what equipment can be used.

For example, McLeod said, contractors could turn off the back-up warning beepers on their trucks at night.

Germain said there was no need forsuch restrictions and that council should trust the judgement and common sense of contractors.

Local versusoutside contractors

Council also debated givinglocal contractors a leg-up when it comesto competing with outside companies for rebuilding contracts.

"We've been sitting in a recession here for two years and we are in dire need of the work here," said resident Betty-Anne Eldridge.

Council debatedif favouring local companieswould send the wrong image to the rest of Canada, suggestingFort McMurrayisclosed to businessesincommunities that sheltered or made donationsto evacuees.

"It isn't because we hate the rest of Canada," Eldridge said.

"I know everyone has come here, worked here and supported us. It isn't that at all. We want to be able to build this city first with our own people."

Council approved lower fees for local companies using the landfill, whilerejectinga proposal chargingnon-FortMcMurraybusinesses$2,000 for a demolition permit, but only$200 forlocal businesses.