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Noise exemption decisions are about sound levels, not events’ merits: Mono mayor

May 7, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Mono council granted an exemption from the town’s noise bylaw to four Portuguese-style rodeos with shortened hours of amplified noise.

Organizers of a Portuguese-style rodeo planned events May 30, July 18, Aug. 22, and Oct. 10 at the Orangeville Agriculture Society Events Centre in Mono. Victoria Da Costa asked council during its April 28 meeting for an exemption from the noise bylaw for the event.

Mayor John Creelman said council received the paper application for the noise exemption. Given that councillors have the details provided in the application, he suggested the time be spent on questions from council to the delegate.

Councillor Melinda Davie thought otherwise.

“When we made our new bylaw and we decided that we were going to allow exemptions, the idea was that we were going to give people the opportunity to really, truly explain to us why they should have the exemption,” Davie said.

She said the online application doesn’t allow for fulsome reasoning, and the particular event should be exempted from the bylaw restrictions.
“The way the application is set up doesn’t really lend itself to why you’re special,” Davie said, referencing why an event’s proponents would seek an exemption.

“I kind of would like to hear what the various people who come before us have to say,” Davie said.

“I’m fine with that in this one instance,” Creelman said. “But I think council has to turn its mind to the 19 other requests for noise (exemption) applications that may be coming down the line and whether we want to have a formal presentation or whether we are going to try and do it through the paper format with somebody available to answer questions.”

Portuguese-style rodeo bullfighting has been done in Canada since 1983.

“We’re just trying to basically offer traditions here in Canada with development of our youth as well joining us and learning about our traditions,” Da Costa said.

No animals are harmed, she said.

Deputy Mayor Fred Nix said he had received “several” letters and emails from people who are opposed to the event “because of the activity.”

“It’s not our job to tell an organizer whether or not that event is something we approve of,” Nix said. “That’s your business.”

Mono council passed a bylaw in recent years against fighting kites because of the detritus that the activity left behind.

“Other than that, we don’t regulate what people want to do as an activity,” he said.

Portuguese rodeo organizers wanted to hold their event over four nights up to 9 p.m., with amplified sound and to have those hours exempted from the municipal noise bylaw.

Nix said that’s where his concern lay and, because of that, he wasn’t sure the exemption should be granted.

Coun. Ralph Manktelow said the same event last year ended at 5 p.m.

“It could finish earlier (than 9 p.m.),” Da Costa said.

Organizers usually aim for an end at 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. But it usually ends up being about 9 p.m. by the time their equipment is taken down, and everything is cleared away.

Da Costa said the time request on the exemption application was an estimate. In effect, an exemption would be needed for a DJ from noon until about 7 p.m.

“I wouldn’t entertain that from 12 until 7,” Coun. Elaine Capes said.

She asked Da Costa to describe what a Portuguese-style rodeo entails.

There are bull runs with four animals, all safely handled by experienced handlers. The events have Portuguese entertainment and musicians throughout the day during breaks.

“I had no idea what this was so, of course, I looked it up,” Capes said. “What I found was that it’s a tortuous, barbaric, cruel event where people come out on horseback or whatever and they slap the bulls around.”

“Oh no,” Da Costa said.

“That’s why I was asking,” Capes said. “What do you actually do because I think it’s important to know that.”

“We don’t do any of that,” Da Costa said, and added that Capes’ description was of what’s done in Portugal and in Spain. Those countries have bulls in an arena and a matador.

Locally, the rodeo would have a bull in an arena, secured and with the horns capped. A handful of experienced people are in with the bull to control where it goes so nobody is hurt. Umbrellas and capes are used to do that.

“They just do tricks with the bull,” Da Costa said. “But we do not harm the bull.”

Capes asked if the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals sanctions the event.

Da Costa said the OSPCA are welcomed to attend the rodeo and to see where the animals are kept.

Creelman said some of the questions asked of Da Costa have no bearing on noise or the bylaw exemption.

“The only decision we make is based on noise,” he said.

Nix said he had a newer understanding of the rodeo and asked if the amplified sound could end at 7 p.m.

Manktelow disagreed. He said it has been the practice of many municipalities to decide if such events should happen.

“It seems to me the essence of making this work between the people and the bull is that you irritate the bull and make the bull angry so that the bull will charge,” he said. “I find that bothersome.”

He suggested council has an opportunity to prevent the rodeo by disallowing the noise bylaw exemption.

Capes agreed with Manktelow’s assessment of bullfighting.

“I do think it is our responsibility to say whether this is an event-type we want to support here,” Capes said and referenced other animal events and municipalities that banned Portuguese bullfighting.

But then she said, “Having not attended one of these, I can’t comment exactly. And I appreciate that you gave us the description, but I still do believe that torment is a form of cruelty.”

Capes described the event as an act of violence against animals. But she said she might consider an exemption for one event of the proposed four in the interest of demonstrating what the rodeo involves and that it is not violent against the animals.

Capes suggested the OSPCA attend that event and that amplified noise end at 7 p.m.

Nix said his heart and sympathies lie with Manktelow’s and Capes’ sentiments.

“My problem with what you’re trying to suggest is that the issue before us is only noise,” Nix said. “If you want make the issue about how animals are treated, then we need a bylaw that gives us the authority to do that just as we did with kite flying.”

“Unless a member of council moves a (notice of motion) otherwise,” Creelman said.

The mayor said organizers can continue with their event even if the noise bylaw exemption is denied.

“You’re just taking the chance that you may be charged with violating the noise bylaw,” Creelman said, and added that council “micro-managing” the OAS Event Centre’s event is not appropriate.

“This process of dealing with the noise bylaw on a regular basis is not something that I think we should be doing,” Manktelow said, and suggested there be a precedent town staff could apply to future applications.

Capes said council debate is “the only way” there is public notification and opportunity to provide feedback. Exemption applications should continue before council to ensure public notification. Application details should be communicated better, she said.

Council agreed to the bylaw exemption if amplified noise is limited to the hours 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.

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