Pickleball players are making too much noise, say some Toronto city councillors, who believe it’s time to study noise restrictions on courts.
The growing popularity of the sport has caused conflict in some neighborhoods, according to Coun. Ausma Malik, where local residents complain about the persistent, high-pitched sound created by soft, hollow balls hitting solid paddles.
“I can absolutely see the appeal,” said Malik, who has played the sport. “As one of the fastest growing sports in Toronto, we want to make sure that Torontonians can enjoy the game and that we can have these facilities everywhere in the city, and that neighbors can respect them too.”
Malik drafted a motion, approved by council this week, asking staff to investigate ways to mitigate noise, as other jurisdictions in Canada have done.
The sport has taken off since the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in outdoor activities, according to Pickleball Canada. A January 2025 survey showed that around 1.5 million Canadians now play the sport. Ontario leads the way with just under 600,000 participants, the survey shows.
But the rise in popularity has also led to an increase in noise complaints, according to Malik.
He points to a letter he received earlier this year, signed by 20 households near the pickleball courts at Trinity Bellwoods Park.
“What residents have shared with me is that the persistent sound of the game of pickleball is very different from other sports, and it’s the impact of that that is very disturbing,” he said.
BC and Ottawa have addressed pickleball noise: councilor
Malik’s motion asks staff to consult with other jurisdictions, particularly British Columbia and the city of Ottawa, where pickleball noise has been successfully mitigated, he said.
Ottawa councilor David Hill told CBC Toronto that his city implemented new rules at the beginning of the year that limit playing times, so there is no pickleball noise early in the morning or at night. Additionally, the city closed and moved some courts, moving them away from residences.
“The current plan is a winning plan,” he said. “The city took the time to contact an expert consultant, who did a pretty solid analysis of how close is too close for pickleball in residential areas.”
Those measures have caused complaints to drop dramatically, he said. Now, he says, the complaints are largely coming from people who want the city to put more courts on the road.
Ian Campbell, president of Pickleball Ontario, agrees the sport is taking off here.
He said in an email to CBC Toronto that the number of registered players in Ontario has more than doubled in two years, going from about 14,000 in 2023 to more than 30,000 last summer.
To address noise, he said pickleball clubs are experimenting with new materials like quieter balls and paddles and sound-deadening plexiglass fencing.
But some disruptions may be unavoidable. “What some residents consider ‘noise’ is, to others, simply the sound of people having fun,” he wrote.
“There’s no doubt that pickleball is here to stay,” Hill said. “Cities will eventually realize this and build pickleball-specific venues where the joy of the game and the issue of sound can coexist.”
City staff notices increase in pickleball-related noise complaints
City of Toronto staff told CBC Toronto in an email that they are in the process of responding to the growing demand. This year and next, the city is upgrading 25 pickleball courts across the city, one in each district.
Additionally, a 12-court complex at Etobicoke’s Centennial Park is expected to open next year.
But staff are also noticing an increase in noise complaints around the pickleball courts. A spokesperson said 20 have been received since 2024, but none before.
John Cameron, director of the five-year-old Etobicoke Pickleball Association, says his group has grown from about 400 members to about 2,000 this year. Noise hasn’t been a problem for his members, he says.
“We have people playing on about 50 different courses here in Etobicoke, but we haven’t heard a single complaint. None,” he says.
Cameron believes that simple consideration for others could be a big part of the solution.
“One thing we have to do is not start too early or play too late,” he said. “I guess that’s being nice to the neighbors you’re playing with.”
Malik’s motion asks staff to include in their ongoing study of all the city’s recreational facilities a look at possible new regulations to govern pickleball. It’s unclear when that report will come to the council for approval.
