Ban the Cannons, Kelowna Connection

The Kelowna Connection

A group of neighbours recently organized in Kelowna, British Columbia, to battle the use of propane cannons on a vineyard named Beaumont Estate Vineyards. When we spoke to these people we were told that the vineyard has placed cannons as close as 50 to 60 yards from their residences.

They had no success in dealing with the owner of the property so the group filed a formal complaint to the Farm Practices Board.

(Do you know that just to complain in British Columbia costs $100, but this group felt strongly enough about the issue to do so.)

The owner of the vineyard did not even bother to take part in the initial telephone conference call hearing. He simply responded in a letter that the complaint was frivolous, and should be dismissed. The Farm Practices Board did not dismiss this case and is setting a date for a full hearing.

The noise impact that these Kelown residents have to endure from propane cannons stationed 50 to 60 yards from their homes is very severe. Typically propane cannons emit sound at 120 decibels and the intensity of the sound diminishes by 6 decibels for every doubling of the distance.

So if you are standing beside a cannon, at a distance of three feet, the noise level would be 120 decibels, at 6 feet it would be 114 decibels, at 12 feet 108 decibels, etc.

At 192 feet, or 64 yards, the noise level would be 84 decibels, and in this case the cannons have been positioned closer than 64 yards from the neighbours residences.

The WCB (Worker's Compensation Board) in British Columbia state that at noise levels of 85 decibels or higher, workers must wear ear protection to avoid hearing damage. This means that the neighbours beside Beaumont Estate Vineyards should wear hearing protection at all times, dawn to dusk, for the protection of their hearing and their health.

Does this sound frivolous to you?

If you live in Kelowna or other parts of the Okanagan, and are frustrated by propane cannons, please contact us and become a "long distance" member of Ban the Cannons. It doesn't cost anything, and by increasing our membership you will be helping us gain leverage to fight this problem. Also, if you have a cannon horror story that you would like us to add to this site, please send us an e-mail at:

Grape growers make sound neighbours
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