London considers imposing 6 p.m. curfew for using gas lawn mowers and yard equipment

A gas powered lawn mower is seen on London, Ont. on May 22, 2024. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

Council will consider nudging Londoners towards a greener type of yard maintenance.

On Wednesday, the Civic Works Committee recommended holding a public meeting in July about whether to further restrict the hours when Londoners can use gas-powered lawn mowers, weed trimmers and leaf blowers.

Currently, the city’s Sound By-law limits the operation of all gas and electric motorized yard maintenance equipment to between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

A proposal by Coun. Skylar Franke would tighten the timeline for Londoners still utilizing gas powered equipment from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The time period when electric equipment can be operated would remain unchanged.

“The long-term goal is for people to slowly phase it out at the end of the lifecycle of their lawn equipment, replacing it with an electric option,” Franke explained. “Perhaps this is an extra nudge that somebody needs to naturalize their lawn.”

She added, “People would perhaps have to think ahead about when they want to mow their lawn if they have gas-powered equipment.”

The committee also recommended that city staff launch an awareness campaign for households and lawn care service providers about better lawn and garden practices to help the environment and address climate change early next year (February to April 2025).

On June 4, city council will decide if it supports the committee recommendation to hold a public meeting about potentially shortening the permitted hours.

“There’ll be an opportunity for public inputs, people can come and share their voices, send an email, speak to their councillors,” said Franke.