w w w .in si de ha lto n. co m | O AK VI LL E BE AV ER | Th ur sd ay , J an ua ry 4 , 2 01 8 | 1 6 Minister calls for aircraft retrofit to alleviate noise by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Canada's Minister of Transportation Marc Garneau is calling on Air Canada to retrofit its aircraft to alleviate noise. In a press release issued Friday, Dec. 29 Oakville North-Burlington MP Pam Damoff noted that Garneau had sent a letter to Air Canada President and CEO Calin Rovinescu urging the airline to carry out the retrofit of its A320 fleet to reduce noise at and around Toronto's Pearson International Airport. Airplane noise has been an issue for many Oakville and Burlington residents since flight paths were changed in 2012. Damoff says she has been working with residents and the minister to address the issue. In response to a growing number of noise complaints, a Town Hall was held in Oakville in April 2016, which attracted more than 100 people and gave them the opportunity to ask Greater Toronto Airports Authority and NAV Canada officials about their Noise Management Program and their Noise GAS FIREPLACE REPAIR Factory Trained Service Tech & Electronic Ignition Specialists S o fo itty VnaM em e Settee ' %2! 905-845-0701 Styvrime (a tie V^emce! We Service: CFM, DRU, GSW, Hunter Insta-Flame, Valor, Napoleon, Regency, Majestic Heat-N-Glo, Heatilator, Selkirk, GTI, Dovre, Pacific Energy, Town & Country, Security, Hearthstone Montigo, Lennox, Temco, Kingsman, Polaris Heritage, Drolet, Continental, Vermont Castings Osburn, Monessen, MHSC, Clare Brothers, Jotul, Rasmussen, RH Peterson & many other brands. G Best of 2017 Read our client reviews w w w .g a sfix re p a ir.h o m e sta rs .c o m E-MAIL: scott@gasfix.ca Cut and Save! You never know when you will need us! A u t h e n t i c M o n t e s s o r i a t i t s B e s t - F o r A g e s 1 8 m o . - 1 2 y r s . > An empowering curriculum that engages children > Individual focus to define your child's learning » Community atmosphere that makes students feel included and valued > Creative expression allows your child to explore their own interests and talents r A "Each space reflects the professionalism , pride and dedication of everyone in the school." -CCMA Accreditation Team FAIRVIEW GLEN MONTESSORI SCHOOL 905.634.0781 • f a ir v ie w g le n .c o m Mitigation Initiatives Engagement Plan. Damoff says she met with Garneau after the Town Hall meeting and pushed for more accountability over reducing noise over Oakville North-Burlington. "We must all work together to manage airplane noise and ensure the health and well being of our residents," said Damoff. "I met with the minister and his officials about the negative impact of airplane noise and to find viable, effective solutions to the problem. Today, I applaud Minister Garneau's suggestion to Air Canada that the airline work to retrofit the A320 fleet to reduce noise over communities as one important step in addressing the issue." Garneau has said a Fuel Over-Pressure Protector air-flow deflector retrofit is available from the A320 manufacturer, which would greatly reduce or alleviate a whistling noise many residents are complaining about. Damoffnoted as part ofits Noise Management Action Plan, the GTAA introduced a "Quieter Fleet Incentive Program" that rewards airlines that retrofit their A320 fleet by 2020. She said since the majority of A320 flights in Canada are flown by Air Canada, Garneau wrote directly to the airline requesting it commit to developing a program to accelerate the retrofitting. The Oakville North-Burlington MP noted such a retrofit could easily be integrated into the existing maintenance schedule of the aircraft at an affordable cost and would have a tangible positive impact on noise, with potential reductions of five to 11 decibels for A320 aircrafts. Helios, a company contracted by NAV Canada to conduct a third-party review of Toronto airspace, held a number of public meetings in Oakville over the past year to engage with residents in finding a solution to airplane noise. In response to complaints about excessive airplane noise in GTA neighbourhoods, Pearson airport installed noise monitoring terminals in various communities, including north Oakville. Oakville's noise monitoring terminal is live at Glenashton Park and residents can track its live feed on WebTrack at www.torontopearson. com/webtrak. The A320 retrofit was a major recommendation in the Helios airspace review and the GTAA noise management plan. "I am pleased to see the recommendations made by Helios and the GTAA noise management plan seconded by Minister Garneau," said Damoff. Damoff is also calling on Air Canada to move forward as quickly as possible with the recommended retrofit as an important step in improving the airplane noise issue in her riding. AyA KITCHENS OF OAKVILLE 1195 NORTH SERVICE ROAD WEST K I T C H E N S OF OAKVILLE - f n J 3 A Y A O A K V I L L E .C O M http://www.insidehalton.com http://www.gasfixrepair.homestars.com mailto:scott@gasfix.ca http://www.torontopearson Minister calls for aircraft retrofit to alleviate noise by David Lea 905-845-0701 Best of Authentic Montessori at its Best - For Ages 18 mo.-12 yrs. FAIRVIEW GLEN MONTESSORI SCHOOL