Mayor John Tory has sent a letter to federal transport minister Marc Garneau asking that fewer passenger planes fly over Toronto’s midtown.The impetus for this letter has come from residents’ complaints to Jon Burnside (Ward 26). Leaside, Davisville, Moore Park and other areas have seen elevated noise since the federal government permitted the shift of flight patens south into central Toronto three years ago. This was done because of the enormous traffic in and out of Pearson airport. In his letter, Tory says residents of Toronto’s Don Valley West have met with Burnside to complain of “unreasonable aircraft noise resulting from a change in a new, concentrated arrivals route.” Mr Tory says: “An overarching concern is for the implementation of this flight plan without consulting both the residents and their local representatives beforehand. As this flight path is concentrated and aircraft operation runs 24 hours a day, residents find little reprieve from the strong aircraft noise throughout the day and night..” Whether the mayor’s efforts will prompt action is an open question. Airline traffic is everywhere and growing. The noise associated with airports is among the primary reasons for opposition to jets at the island airport.
