John – no one realistically believes that Pearson could be shut down – even though, as you note, there are many people who are bothered by its noise and fumes. The levers of power – and the political will - necessary to do that just don’t exist.

That shouldn’t stop us from encouraging – and supporting – those affected to voice their concerns loudly and effectively, at least in the hope that effective amelioration is attempted (although we know that most efforts in that direction  can be little more than token).

With the Island Airport, on the other hand, we have the real opportunity to close it:

The Q400 used by Porter clearly violates the prohibition on excessively noisy aircraft. This was recently admitted by the Port Authority’s own consultants.

The Q400 also clearly is not a STOL aircraft – or a Dash-8, as it existed when the list of aircraft permitted to use that airport was created. The only possible way that the Q400 can be used out of the Island Airport is as a STOL, or a Dash-8, as Transport Canada has confirmed to us. Porter’s blatantly offside that constraint, yet the TPA turns a blind eye.

Your repeated efforts to justify the continued existence of the Island Airport on medical grounds are, as we have amply shown, illusory, and wrong.

The Island Airport can only be used for short-haul flights – its runways are too short for anything else. Let’s make it entirely redundant by pushing for the far more climate-friendly alternatives that Europe is putting in place as we speak.

What we need is the political will to make the Island Airport history. That’s eminently achievable – with enough hard work, and creative campaigning.

Will you join us?  Brian Iler, chair CommunityAIR