MONTREAL- The sleepy riverside homes on du Sureau in Pierrefonds would appear to be the perfect place to grab a solid snooze, but residents have been short on shut-eye after a condo construction development has led to months of noise disturbances.

The residents now accuse the municipal authorities of allowing builders to stretch the limits on noise disturbances.

Madeleine Tran is amongst those whose peace of mind has been severely compromised by the construction crews.

"The first time that I noticed it was on December 20. I was in bed, it was 10:30 p.m. and I was woken up by noise. It was 10:30 and they were still doing some work," said Madeleine Tran, who lives nearby.

She has since recorded such disturbances at all hours of the day, as early as 6:30 a.m.

Tran complained to municipal authorities and learned that the Cholette-Houde construction firm had been given special dispensation to work outside of regular hours.

She was told that she would have to file an access-to-information demand in order to find out the reasons such permission was granted.

"Nobody is giving me any answers," said Tran. "I find it to be very insensitive."

The bureaucratic delay in getting answers could take 20 days, and neighbours are becoming increasingly irritated.

"I had to go out and get ear-plugs which is something I really don't enjoy," said Carmen Chirila.

The Borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro would not discuss the issue with CTV Montreal's On Your Side, and said that the issue is now in the hands of a city ombudsman.

Cholette-Houde Construction also declined an interview request.

The borough has fined the company $144 three times for breaking the nuisance bylaw.

Tran believes such fines are too insignificant to stop the construction.

"It's as if we don't really exist. as if we don't live here," she said.