Airplane noise pollution

Since September 2006, residents of the Saraguay district have been living with the noise of planes taking off from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and passing over their homes at relatively low altitudes. This is due to a change in the airplanes’ trajectories, which cause noise at night between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., and in the early morning between 6 and 7 a.m. A group of citizens from Bordeaux-Cartierville, St. Laurent, and a few from Laval – all who have been living the same problems – began the process of filing a class action lawsuit against the ADM in 2004. First rejected by the Superior Court, the request was also recently quashed by the Court of Appeals. “We’re very disappointed, because this was a huge undertaking,” said Jean-Guy Boutin, a member of the citizens group. They are currently considering taking the request to the Supreme Court.

Acoustic measuring devices were placed in two locations: one on the roof of the Résidences l’Amitié and another at the western limit of du Bois-de-Saraguay. The test results show that airplane noise exceeded the three criteria adopted by the ADM. Criteria A measured the noise’s interference with human activity. Criteria B measured the effect on verbal communication, and criteria C gauged how much the noise disturbed sleep.

The acoustic engineering experts found that, if points B and C were observed, criteria A was not, as levels were exceeded by 14 dBA (decibels audible). The limit was 40 dBA.

With these reports, the borough decided to extend the study throughout the fall, a period when many residents say airplane noise is at its highest. “We’ll take advantage of this second phase by adding another measuring device on Toupin Boulevard, where residents have also been complaining about the noise,” Eloyan said.

A request has also been forwarded to the ADM to compare the test results to sound levels taken by the airport’s own engineers – a request that has yet to be followed up on.

According to her, the airport has not been keeping promises made a year ago. “They promised to outfit the planes with a system that would allow them to follow Highway 13 without deviating from the path. It seems like this was not done. They also said the planes would immediately turn south after taking off, which would bring them over the Turcot interchange, and not over residential zones. Now, they discovered this would cause a risk for collisions.”

According to Eloyan, the demands made by citizens in the Saraguay district are justified. “This isn’t the ‘not in my backyard’ syndrome. The residents aren’t opposed to the presence of the airport or to the airplanes, but to night flights,” she clarified, adding there have been other international airports that banned night flights.

If the ADM determines cutting back on night flights is not economically viable, the residents say the situation will continue to be unbearable.

Translated by Elyse Amend