LOCATION: MONTRÉAL-PIERRE ELLIOTT TRUDEAU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC
ISSUE: TRANSPORT CANADA’S RESPONSE TO CALLS FROM A MONTREAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (THE GREEN COALITION) AND LOCAL CITIZENS TO ESTABLISH A PROTECTED NATIONAL WILDLIFE AREA ON FEDERAL AIRPORT LANDS LEASED TO AÉROPORTS DE MONTRÉAL
DATE: JANUARY 27, 2021
Suggested ResponseS
- Aéroports de Montréal is responsible for the management, operation and development of the Airport lands pursuant to a long term lease with Transport Canada, while the Technoparc is managed by the City of Montréal.
- The land identified for the proposed wildlife reserve encompasses some federal lands forming part of the Montréal-Trudeau Airport, as well as Technoparc Montréal.
- Under the terms of its lease, Aéroports de Montréal is an independent entity that operates at arm’s length from Transport Canada. Aéroports de Montréal has independently committed to creating an ecological park on wetlands at the Airport.
- While, Transport Canada has been and remains supportive of this commitment, Aéroports de Montréal has the authority to determine which lands are included in the ecological park.
If Pressed
- Transport Canada respects the autonomy of Aéroports de Montréal and encourages concerned parties to engage directly with Aéroports de Montréal regarding lands under their administration.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Aéroports de Montréal is a private, not-for-profit corporation responsible for the management, operation, and development of both Montréal-Trudeau and Montréal-Mirabel International Airports pursuant to a long term ground lease that will expire in 2072. Under the terms of this ground lease, Aéroports de Montréal is an independent entity that operates at arm’s length from Transport Canada.
- In August 2019, Aéroports de Montréal anounced a committment to designate an ecologically sensitive marsh land are located on airport lands at Montréal-Trudeau Airport as a non-developable green space and to create an ecological park that would ensure ongoing protection and public access/enjoyment.
- While Aéorports de Montréal’s plans to develop an ecological park have been delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the corporation continues to respect its commitment to protect the area from development.
- In November 2020, the Green Coalition, a not-for-profit association of more than sixty citizen groups throughout the Greater Montréal area dedicated to the protection of the environment, published an open letter calling on Transport Canada to establish a “National Wildlife Area” in a larger area of the Airport lands, which included the area already identified by Aéroports de Montréal for the ecological park. The lands identified by the Coalition encompasses the Golf Dorval and the Marais des Sources, which are federal lands forming part of the Montréal-Trudeau Airport, as well as Technoparc Montréal, which is municipal land. Aéroports de Montréal is responsible for the Airport lands while the Technoparc is managed by the City of Montréal.