Toronto Board of Health Meeting
This afternoon the Toronto Board of Health met for an "Update on Air Pollution from Toronto's Airports." The Medical Officer of Health had circulated a written report to the committee before the meeting in which he wrote:
"The Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) has a comprehensive environmental program for Toronto Pearson International Airport. To reduce emissions. They are working to decrease energy use, reduce emissions from aircraft and vehicles and support environmental activities in the local business community."
Three senior staff members of the GTAA attended the Board of Health meeting. They gave a power point presentation that outlined the Pearson environmental program, showing how air pollution at the airport has been reduced about 2% a year since 2006.
The TCCA sent in a two page letter to the committee, dated November 13, 2009. No one from the airport or the Toronto Port Authority attended the Board of Health meeting.
The Medical Officer of Health made this comment in his report.
"Most of the available information about operations at the Toronto City Centre Airport is outdated, and ... (did not) describe sources of air pollution at the airport. Toronto City Centre Airport did not respond to requests from Toronto Public Health to provide information about its operations of environmental activities for this report."
To say that the board members of the Board of Health were upset about the lack of information from the TCCA would be an understatement. Members contrasted the full co-operation of the GTAA to the stonewalling of the TCCA.
Several members of the community attended the meeting and thirteen gave deputations about the impact of the Island Airport on their lives and their communities. The deputations ranged from factual reports about the increase of noise and air pollution. Some detailed concerns about the handling of the glycol used to deice the planes by the Island Airport. Others provided emotional testimony of the impact of the airport on their lives and the lives of their neighbours. (Over the next few days we will reproduce some of the briefs on the blog.)
Members of the Board of Health were obviously touched by the sincerity of the people who gave deputations and were annoyed, even outraged, at the lack of response of the Toronto Port Authority and the management of the Island Airport. At the end of the meeting they unanimously approved strongly worded motions directing the Medical Officer of Health to take action. (We will publish the full text of the motions when we have them.)
Bill Freeman
"The Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) has a comprehensive environmental program for Toronto Pearson International Airport. To reduce emissions. They are working to decrease energy use, reduce emissions from aircraft and vehicles and support environmental activities in the local business community."
Three senior staff members of the GTAA attended the Board of Health meeting. They gave a power point presentation that outlined the Pearson environmental program, showing how air pollution at the airport has been reduced about 2% a year since 2006.
The TCCA sent in a two page letter to the committee, dated November 13, 2009. No one from the airport or the Toronto Port Authority attended the Board of Health meeting.
The Medical Officer of Health made this comment in his report.
"Most of the available information about operations at the Toronto City Centre Airport is outdated, and ... (did not) describe sources of air pollution at the airport. Toronto City Centre Airport did not respond to requests from Toronto Public Health to provide information about its operations of environmental activities for this report."
To say that the board members of the Board of Health were upset about the lack of information from the TCCA would be an understatement. Members contrasted the full co-operation of the GTAA to the stonewalling of the TCCA.
Several members of the community attended the meeting and thirteen gave deputations about the impact of the Island Airport on their lives and their communities. The deputations ranged from factual reports about the increase of noise and air pollution. Some detailed concerns about the handling of the glycol used to deice the planes by the Island Airport. Others provided emotional testimony of the impact of the airport on their lives and the lives of their neighbours. (Over the next few days we will reproduce some of the briefs on the blog.)
Members of the Board of Health were obviously touched by the sincerity of the people who gave deputations and were annoyed, even outraged, at the lack of response of the Toronto Port Authority and the management of the Island Airport. At the end of the meeting they unanimously approved strongly worded motions directing the Medical Officer of Health to take action. (We will publish the full text of the motions when we have them.)
Bill Freeman
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