In a press release issued the afternoon of Christmas Eve (to avoid serious examination?), the Toronto Port Authority "anticipates" up to 212 daily landings and take-offs ("slots") are permissible at the Island Airport.

"All of the previous studies of the maximum permitted number of slots fix a much lower number – between 97 and 167." said Brian Iler, Chair of CommunityAIR. "A 2002 report (commissioned by the Port Authority) by consultants Sypher-Mueller found that the noise limits are exceeded with only 112 slots - which is fewer than Porter’s current number.

"And all studies to date excluded helicopter noise - but that must now be included. That reduces the number of available slots even further."

The maximum number of slots is designed to afford the communities living near the airport, and those thousands who use the waterfront for recreation, a degree of protection from excessive airport noise. They are established in accordance with a tripartite agreement among the City, the TPA, and the federal government.

"If the number of slots is allowed to increase to over two hundred a day, living on, and enjoyment of, our waterfront becomes impossible." Iler said. "Is this an attempt by the TPA to run roughshod over the existing constraints on expansion?

"CommunityAIR calls on the City of Toronto and the Harper government to rein in the TPA to stop these flagrant breaches of the noise constraints."

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A Backgrounder on "Slots and the Island Airport" is attached.