On Wednesday July 2nd, CommunityAIR hosted a meeting about noise from the Island Airport, along with a number of other community groups.  The meeting was spirited and well attended.

Brian Iler, the Chair of CommunityAIR and a lawyer, explained a number of different regulatory agreements that govern operations at the airport.  The Island Airport, or the Toronto City Centre Airport (TCCA) as it is officially called, is governed by the Tripartite Agreement.  This agreement was signed back in the 1980s by the federal government, the Toronto Harbour Commission (now the Toronto Port Authority) and the City of Toronto.  These three bodies are responsible for enforcing the agreement.

He explained that the Tripartite Agreement sets a number of regulations on airport operations.  These include:

• All commercial aircraft must have STOL (short take-off and landing) capabilities.  The federal Ministry of Transport has admitted Q400 aircraft operated by Porter Airlines is not a STOL aircraft. 
• The Q400 violates the NEF noise provisions according to the manufacturer's specifications.  Noise at the airport has been increasing in recent weeks, according to many people in the neighbourhood.
• The Tripartite agreement has been amended to stipulate that a curfew at the Island Airport will exist from 11:00 pm to 6:45 am.  There have been a number of violations of the curfew by Porter Airlines and the violations appear to be growing.
• A system of fines is outlined in the Tripartite Agreement but we do not know of any instance when a pilot or airline has been fined for violations.

Brian emphasized that a community group like CommunityAIR cannot launch litigation to require the Island Airport to enforce the Tripartite Agreement because they are not a signatory to the agreement.

Many people at the meeting confirmed that the noise at the airport has been much worse over the past few weeks and that there have been a number of violations of the curfew.  Community members were particularly angry and the engine run-ups of Porter planes early in the morning.

Dennis Findlay gave the next presentation to the meeting.  He emphasized that if we are to focus on noise then we have to demonstrate that noise is a serious problem.  The best way to do that is to lodge complaints through the noise complaint system at the Island Airport.  The easiest way to do that is online through www.torontoport.com/Airport Cform.asp  It is also possible to phone in a complaint or write a letter.  The advantage of registering the complaint in this way is that there is an official record of the incident.  Every month the Island Airport publishes a report of the complaints. 

People at the meeting complained about the system.  "They don't pay any attention to the complaints," was one comment.  Others made the point that it was just a system to try and cool the neighbours out and that the airport had no intention of cutting back operations.  Dennis agreed that seemed to be the case, but emphasized that if we are to make a case that the Island Airport is violating the Tripartite Agreement then we have to demonstrate that the community is finding problems with the noise and the curfew violations.  The best way to do that is by using the complaint system the airport has set up.

Bill Freeman was the last of the speakers.  "If you think things are bad now, just wait," Bill explained.  "It is going to get a lot worse.  Porter Airlines now has six aircraft.  Mr. Deluce has said that the company plans to operate twenty planes out of the Island Airport."

He urged people to make complaints via the airport complaint system, but if we are to make a real impact we have to do much more than this.  There are only three political bodies who have the power to enforce the Tripartite Agreement: the federal government , the Toronto Port Authority and the City of Toronto. 

• The federal government is now controlled by the Conservative Party and they support the Island Airport expansion.  Transport Canada has given approval for Porter to fly out of the Island Airport with the Q400.
• The Toronto Port Authority is now controlled by a board of Conservative federal government appointments.  They are the strongest supporters of the Island Airport and Porter Airlines.
• That leaves the City of Toronto.  Bill Freeman recommended that the only signatory of the Tripartite Agreement that will be sympathetic to our concerns about noise at the Island Airport will be the city.

In the discussion it was agreed that the community should focus on members of city council.  Bill emphasized that this will not be easy.  David Miller is sympathetic to our cause.  In 2003 one of his election slogans was "No Airport Expansion," his efforts led to the cancellation of the bridge to the Island Airport but since that time he has not done much to further our cause.  Miller will have to be brought onside.  Other councillors, particularly those from the suburbs, have other issues that are much more important to their constituents than the Island Airport.  We will have to convince them that this is a city issue.

Bill pointed out that this campaign is not to "Close the Island Airport."  That is the objective of many of us but this campaign is focusing on "Enforcing the Tripartite Agreement."  That is a very important distinction.  We are asking no more than the city, as a signatory to the agreement, insist that its terms be enforced.  Surely members of City Council must see that is only reasonable.

The meeting broke up in good spirits.  Members of the public were appreciative of the information and pleased that we had agreed on a plan.  Most of the people volunteered to do what they could to work together to see that the full terms of the Tripartite Agreement be enforced.