Class action against aircraft noise approved
Residents who have been complaining about excessive noise from night flights landing at Trudeau Airport have received permission to launch a class-action suit against the airport authority.
A group called Les Pollués de Montréal-Trudeau wants a decrease in the noise created by planes flying over Montreal and reasonable compensation for those who have put up with the noise for years.
The group wants a flight curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., saying the late-night flights keep them awake and force them to close their windows during the summer. They say the noise is damaging their quality of life.
The first flights of the day often leave Trudeau airport at 5:30 a.m. and many flights land after 11 p.m. Between 11:24 p.m. Wednesday night and 12:55 a.m. Thursday morning, 15 flights are scheduled to land at the airport in Dorval.
Many of the residents involved in the class action live near the flight path in Ahuntsic, Town of Mount Royal, Saint-Laurent and Villeray— Saint-Michel—Parc Extension.
Superior Court Justice Chantal Tremblay authorized the classaction suit against Aéroports de Montréal-Trudeau, Nav Canada and Transport Canada.
The group claims the noise became worse in 2012 when arriving and departing flight paths were changed by NAV Canada, which runs Canada’s civil aviation systems, including air traffic control.
Residents affected by the noise are pleased they can proceed with the class action, said Pierre Lachapelle, president of Les Pollués. “This is good news for the rights of citizens who are subjected to excessive noise, day and night.”
The group has been lobbying for fewer night flights and less noise since 2013.
In 2015, the group released data it collected from 10 measurement stations saying the noise is affecting their quality of life.
The Aéroports de Montréal said it didn’t want to comment on the decision because it’s still evaluating what actions will be taken next.
It said it “continues to prioritize and rigorously manage the soundscape in collaboration with its partners to promote a balance between air operations and coexistence with the community.”