The Editor,
Open letter to prospective mayoral and council candidates running for office in Richmond.
As a long time resident of Richmond and a former representative and co-chair on the Richmond Airport Noise Citizens Advisory Task Force, I, and other concerned Richmond citizens, want to know what is your position on the increasing problem of air traffic noise over Richmond?
And, if elected, what actions will you take to address the impact that night flights air traffic has on the community?
While we recognize that YVR is an important economic engine in the Greater Vancouver area, we are concerned by the increase in night flights between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.
YVR, in its air noise annual summary, reports that three per cent of total aircraft activity at YVR occurs during night hours.
What it does not report is the impact such flights have on the sleeping patterns of Richmond’s growing population.
Between midnight and 3 a.m., two flights typically depart YVR and another four arrive, followed by another five arrivals between 3 a.m. and 6 am.
While the number of flights in the context of overall traffic in and out of YVR over 24 hours does not appear unusually high, the noise generated by these flights between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. presents a serious challenge to our population which, on average, is awakened on the hour by flights departing and arriving at YVR.
There are ample studies correlating the impact of air traffic noise, especially at night, on the physical and psychological well-being of people, and while other major international airports, in response to citizen concerns over noise, have introduced curfews on night flights, YVR has ignored citizens’ concerns and continues to permit night flights despite the discomfort and disrupted sleep such flights cause.
Communities that have taken the initiative to control night flights include Frankfurt, which bans flights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.; Hongqiao International Airport (Shanghai), which bans flights after midnight. Montreal Dorval (YUL); And Sydney International Airport, which has a total noise abatement policy and night flight curfew.
This is just a partial list, but it shows how other communities and airport authorities have responded to residents’ complaints and concerns about noise from night flights.
Richmond electors want to know where you stand on the issue, and how you will engage YVRAA, NAV Canada, Transport Canada and fellow councillors to introduce a curfew on night flights over Richmond.
As NAV Canada and Transport Canada have accepted night curfews in Montreal and Toronto, the citizens of Richmond and Vancouver should receive similar consideration, respect and treatment.
In the past, the city has called on a select group of citizens to consider the problem, and yet despite the recommendations of the committee the problem of night flights persists; the time has come for this to be openly debated by all candidates for Richmond City Council in open candidate debates or other forums to engage the electorate in advance of the Nov. 15, 2014 municipal election.
Mark Salopek, Ph.D.
East Richmond
Neil Filipek
West Richmond
