Dorval woman petitioning Montreal airport for more quiet hours

Montreal’s Trudeau International airport is proposing new rules for plane landing and takeoff based on aircrafts’ certified noise levels, as part of a Soundscape Management Action Plan.

Under the new scenario, flying restrictions would begin at 11 p.m. for noisier aircrafts and become more restrictive until 1 a.m. Quieter aircrafts would be allowed to resume flying starting at 6 a.m., and noisier aircrafts at 8 a.m.

With the proposed change leaving surrounding neighbourhoods with only five quiet hours, Dorval resident Anna Campagna is calling on all to sign her petition. 

“What the petition does is bring everyone back to a larger frame,” she says, while considering “what is good for human health and well-being.”

Over the course of Campagna’s interview with CityNews, roughly five aircrafts flew overhead. 

“Basic public health says that humans, adults, need seven hours of uninterrupted sleep at night, so that’s the first ask of our petition,” she said.

The petition’s second ask is for Trudeau airport to fulfill what Campagna says was a promise made in 2019 – to establish a “Good Neighbour Commitee,” so members of the community can better share their opinions. 

The neighbourhood advocate attended a citizen consultation recently on the proposed flight hours revision, but said she doesn’t feel like the airport is listening.

“We hear louder noises of revving of engines during the testing of the engines in the evening. […] We actually smell fuel, […] then we hear them during the night. 

“We have to say, ‘well, who’s looking after the aspects of human health, environment?’ We seem to be getting these two priorities lost,” the Dorval woman told CityNews.

According to airport documents, 21 million passengers passed through in 2023. 

In a statement to CityNews, Aéroports de Montréal said citizens’ “participation is crucial in shaping these solutions and ensuring a sustainable future for the airport and the surrounding community. […] As an urban airport, ADM wishes to put a higher emphasis on new-generation aircrafts that are more acoustically efficient.” 

Still, Campagna isn’t holding her breath, saying one night, “I went to bed around 10. I was woken at 10:18 p.m. and my windows are shut. Then again at 12.30 p.m. […] there’s certainly not the less noisy planes that are flying over us.”

Campagna added, “the [airport’s] plan has to go over for approval to the minister of transport and Transport Canada, so we still have an opportunity to lobby not only the airport, but also to be advocates towards the politicians.”

For more on how to get involved, click here.