aéroports de montréal's handling of environmental-impact consultation is 'scandalous,' activist says
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a rendering of the future trudeau airport expansion.
canada infrastructure bank
when aéroports de montréal announced last week that it had secured a $1-billion loan from the canada infrastructure bank to finance its $10-billion expansion of montreal—pierre elliott trudeau international airport, it didn’t mention that deadlines are looming for the public to provide their input on the environmental impact of its development plan.
the deadline is in fact this sunday, july 27, for the public to submit written comments on a major component of the airport authority’s plan: the construction of a new, permanent satellite jetty housing 16 boarding gates that will accommodate up to 28 aircraft.
the notice of consultation was posted on june 27 — not on the adm website, but on the website of the federal impact assessment agency of canada (iaac). the notice reveals that adm also plans to build a temporary satellite jetty with four adaptable boarding gates that can accommodate up to eight aircraft, which adm plans to have in operation by december 2026.
the adm notice concerning the new temporary and permanent jetties states: “adm aéroports de montréal intends to make a determination regarding whether the carrying out of the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. to help inform this determination, adm aéroports de montréal is inviting public comments until july 27, 2025 respecting that determination.”
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“it’s absolutely scandalous,” pierre lachapelle, president of les pollués de montréal-trudeau, said of discovering the notice by accident this week. les pollués, which opposes the airport’s expansion in its urban setting, has a class-action lawsuit pending against adm and federal agencies over airplane noise generated by activities at the airport.
the group checked the iaac website following a tip and found the notice and other notices of consultations on other components of the adm overhaul of trudeau airport, lachapelle said.
under the federal impact assessment act, an environmental impact assessment is required for projects within federal jurisdiction through the iaac. however, the law confers legal responsibility on airport authorities across the country to assess the impact of their projects on federal lands.
“it’s the developer, adm, who is collecting public comments, not the iaac,” lachapelle said, noting that the notices call for the public to submit written comments to the adm.
“i’m outraged. this is something that could discourage people from commenting.”
the one-month deadline is “adding insult to injury,” he added.
“we’ll send comments, for sure,” he said of responding by july 27. “we won’t be silent.”
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however, the adm says the “community relations” page of its website informs the public about the environmental impact consultations and says it publicly unveiled its $10-billion program in april.
under the heading “on-going consultations,” the adm web page explains that “projects covered by the impact assessment act are posted on the impact assessment agency of canada (iaac) website.” the adm web page also provides a link to the iaac web page listing all adm consultation notices.
“any citizen interested in participating in the ongoing consultations has access to the information related to the consultation process via the adm’s website through its ‘community relations’ web page, and the projects are posted on the canadian impact assessment registry, in accordance with the provisions of the impact assessment act,” the adm said through spokesperson eric forest.
lachapelle said quebec’s bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (bape), which holds independent environmental impact assessments on provincial projects, allows time for public information sessions and time for reflection before the public has to submit briefs.
the iaac notice about the jetties reveals new information, lachapelle added.
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for example, adm has said in the past that the new jetty could have 10 gates, he said. and the temporary jetty is new, he said.
the notice says the permanent jetty will have 12 adaptable boarding gates for up to 24 aircraft and four regular boarding gates for four aircraft. as well, a pedestrian tunnel would connect the jetty and the existing international jetty.
the adaptable boarding gates are called “multiple aircraft ramp system” (mars) gates, which accommodate multiple planes.
“the objective is to enhance passenger experience at yul (trudeau airport), as this addition will reduce the need to operate through remote parking of aircraft and the use of shuttles,” forest said. the temporary jetty will alleviate urgent needs, he said.
the number and type of boarding gates is still being refined, he added. “the information outlined in the consultation represents the maximum scope of the project.”
a separate notice posted on the iaac website on tuesday announces a consultation on the adm’s plan to replace the multi-level parking garage at trudeau airport and develop additional passenger drop-off areas. the deadline for public feedback is aug. 21.
the project entails demolishing the multi-level parking garage and building new multi-level parking connected to the future airport rem station and the airport terminal. it also calls for installing a retention basin under the new parking structure for storm water and pedestrian overpasses to connect the drop-off areas, parking facility, rem station and the terminal.
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“adm complies with and communicates its projects in accordance with the provisions of the impact assessment act and through the canadian impact assessment registry,” forest said.
he said the projects in the adm’s multi-year plan are being carried out “in an appropriate sequence so as to not interfere with airport activities and operations.”
“the consultation notices for the construction projects related to the (plan) are therefore posted progressively in accordance with the planned sequence” and project deadlines, forest said.
however, lachapelle contends the impact of the sum of the projects is being ignored.
“there’s plenty more related to the expansion of trudeau airport, and it’s being treated one by one,” he said. “it’s inconceivable and unacceptable in 2025.”
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