Public consultation on ways to promote the growth of international direct flights, one way to contribute to the economic development of Montreal – 20 October 2014

MEMORANDUM submitted by LPDMT
An airport in an urban setting, a source of both wealth and nuisance, raises complex and emerging issues of territorial equity.

We thank the Commission on Economic and Urban Development and Housing for giving us the opportunity to comment on ways to promote increased international direct flights, one way to contribute to the economic development of Montreal.

LES POLLUÉS DE MONTRÉAL-TRUDEAU

The group Les Pollués de Montréal-Trudeau is an NPO registered in June 2013 at the Business Registry of Quebec. In September 2013 we contributed to the public consultation on the Draft Development Plan of Montreal. Our submission was titled “Pour une intégration saine et harmonieuse des infrastructures aéroportuaires à l’agglomération montréalaise”.

Basically, we are a group of citizens living in Montreal’s boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Villeray and St. Laurent, as well as Town of Mont-Royal. We have been meeting regularly since mid 2012 with the principal objective of sensitizing elected officials from all levels of government to the issue of the incessant and infernal noise made at all times of the day and night by aircraft landing at or taking off from Montreal-Trudeau airport. Les Pollués have the support of an ever-growing number of citizens personally affected by the aircraft. We are also trying, so far unsuccessfully, to meet the Montreal Airport (ADM) directors and be represented on the advisory committee for the soundscape created by ADM. We seek to mobilize citizens throughout the region of Montreal under the banner of Les Pollués de Montréal-Trudeau in order to increase the scope of our interventions. Les Pollués live the experience of low-flying aircraft passing over their residences, schools, and neighborhood parks at all times of day and night.

No doubt in common with many other citizens, we support improved access by air for our city, which has hosted the world several times. However, since thousands of residents continue to suffer adverse health effects as a result of air and noise pollution caused by air traffic flying over densely populated neighborhoods in Montreal, we respectfully submit to the members of the Commission that the following must be addressed before adding any national or international air links to Dorval Airport:
1. Implementation of a strict curfew from 2300 to 0700.
2. Review of landing protocols to reduce noise pollution.
3. Assignment of soundscape management and complaints to an organization independent of ADM and the airline industry, such organization to be transparent and accountable to the population. Residents are neither listened to nor consulted. The existence of our group is proof.
4. Assignment to this new body responsibility for documenting atmospheric pollution specifically attributable to aircraft flying over Montreal.
5. Regularly publishing data on noise levels and air pollution generated by aircraft.
6. Review of the management of airports in Montreal in order to make it accountable, transparent, and free of special interests. Request that 6 places on the Board of ADM are reserved for elected members of the metropolitan community of Montreal, including 4 specifically for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Villeray, Saint-Laurent and Town of Mont-Royal.
7. Ensure the presence of two members of the public on the board of ADM as representatives of citizen groups.
8. Ensure the presence of two members of the public within the body managing the soundscape and monitoring air pollution.
9. Conduct a study and produce a report on the social, economic and environmental impacts arising from the concentration of flights at the airport in Dorval. Disseminate to the public the results of this study with public hearings to consider the views of stakeholders (citizens, economic and social organizations etc.)
Antoine Bécotte, president of Les Pollués de Montréal‐Trudeau
20 October 2014