Who we are
We started as a citizens group from the Montreal borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and our first meeting was in mid 2012.
At the beginning, our group was called “Haut les Moteurs” but in May 2013, we incorporated our group and renamed it “Les Pollués de Montréal-Trudeau”. This was done in order to become better organized and increase the scope of our activities. Our new name emphasizes our situation and includes all adverse effects that citizens endure due to aircraft movement over their heads.
We welcome all citizens of the Montreal region within our ranks.
Our Advocacy
First there were the expropriated owners of Mirabel, now here are the “Pollués de Montréal-Trudeau”, the new victims of federal overreach in air transportation in Montreal. Montreal Trudeau Airport is centrally located on the island of Montreal. The administror, « Aéroport de Montréal (ADM) » does not respect no fly hours and is lax when it comes to flight paths followed by aircraft on approach or take-off. The quality of life of the citizens living underneath these aircraft is negatively affected. Over the last few years this situation has worsened, and even more so during the last few months. A group of citizens is banding together and they are saying out loud: “Stop the engines! Stop the pollution! Let us open our windows, enjoy our backyards, our parks and, most importantly, let us sleep at night!”. Our group aims to unify everyone living on the island of Montreal that is fed up with this situation. We want a real ban of air flights at night and a complete revision of flight paths taken by airplanes that land or take off from Trudeau airport: the goal being to reduce noise pollution on Montrealers as well as air pollution created by large airplanes at low altitude. (Note that studies have demonstrated that nitrous oxide emissions are greatest at take off and during flight in the troposphere and low stratosphere). When ADM decided without consultation to transfer regular international flights from Mirabel to Dorval in 1997 and later all charter flights and cargo in 2004, we were assured that a curfew would apply as follows:
- No take-offs between 11:00pm and 7:00am for the loudest aircraft (e.g. Boeing 727) and no landings after 11:30 pm.
- No take-offs between midnight and 7:00am for quieter aircraft (e.g. Airbus 319, 320, Boeing 747, 757, 767) and no landings after 1:00am.
We were assured that landings or take-offs between 1:00am and 7:00am would be for emergencies only, such as crash landings or organ transport. Moreover, only small aircraft (e.g. Regional Jets, Fokker 100) would be allowed to take off slightly before 7:00am. We were also told that, in 2010, noise levels generated by newer aircraft models would be lower by 66% than those in 1981. We were duped! With time, exemptions to the night curfew given by ADM have increased to include delayed flights due to bad weather or for reasons unforeseen by the transporter. Adding insult to injury, ADM has given permanent exemptions to some regular flights to depart before 7:00 am or to land after 1:00 am. No reasons were given. This lack of transparency makes us doubt as to whether there are any rules regarding a night curfew. ADM has a committee that is responsible for controlling noise levels since 1993. What has this committee done? Very little if you ask us!. Meanwhile, around the world (USA, UK, France) airports have extended no-fly curfews, increased the overall altitude of aircraft during landing, and/or modified landing procedures so as to RESPECT the citizens of the city they are serving. It is important to note that, in Montreal, several boroughs have lowered noise levels that are tolerated day and night. However, municipalities cannot legislate on noise created by aircraft. Thus, we have to take matters into our own hands. Our group intends to act by making people aware of this important issue.