Issue 7 - Fall 2020

The Noise Issue

In the first days of the pandemic, an eerie hush fell over Toronto. As the familiar background hum returns, it's worth remembering that the sounds of the city are not neutral or inevitable. How noise, and our clumsy attempts to control and police it, shapes city life.

In this issue

Feature by Matthew Braga

How Noise Shaped a City

Toronto’s anti-noise movement began in the 1930s. Ever since, noise policing has been inextricably linked with issues of race, class, and power.

Feature by Wendy Glauser

Are Noisy Hospitals Making Us Sick?

The constant beeping, talking, and overhead paging aren’t just an annoyance—they can lead to delirium, longer recovery times, and even sleeping pill addiction.