The TTC will blast "sound cannons" for months to deter pesky seagull problem
The TTC is resorting to a new weapon in its years-long war against an infestation of seagulls at its Leslie Barns facility, warning locals that it will begin to use “sound cannons” in a desperate attempt to oust the pesky birds.
The transit agency announced that it will deploy these sound cannons on the rooftop of the facility, starting in mid-March and lasting for over three months until the end of June, in an effort to deter seagulls from nesting atop the structure.
According to the TTC, these birds have been visiting the rooftop in growing numbers since the facility was completed in 2015, with an estimated “10,000 to 15,000 seagulls visiting annually,” resulting in “unsanitary and disruptive working conditions for TTC employees.”
The TTC stresses that, as one would imagine based on the name, “the sound cannons do not fire actual ammunition and will not harm the seagulls,” explaining that “instead, they emit a loud sound that scares away the seagulls, encouraging them to relocate.”
While they may not fire actual projectiles, these sound cannons will indeed sound not unlike a real cannon, with the TTC describing this sound as “similar to a single firework in the distance.”
To minimize noise, the TTC says the cannons will be pointed away from residential areas, though from within the streetcar barns, it will be much more noticeable — described as “similar to the volume of a jackhammer or an oncoming ambulance, but in a short single burst.”
Locals and workers at the facility can expect to hear these blasts ring out a maximum of four times per hour, 12 hours per day between 7 am and 7 pm, though the cannons will only be used at times birds are present on the facility’s roof.
The transit agency states it has worked with a biologist and noise consultant to ensure that the cannons are used safely and in accordance with regulations, while also making sure that no seagulls are harmed by the operation.
Sound cannons are just the latest measure the TTC will employ to combat its bird problem, following previous mitigation measures including the installation of wires, plastic sheeting that proved harmful to the facility’s green roof, sprinklers, and in-person staffing, though none of these methods have deterred this avian invasion.
Aside from locals in the vicinity of the car yard, passengers travelling on the TTC’s 83 Jones route may hear the cannon when passing the facility.
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