How is noise nuisance near airports evaluated?
Like other Canadian airport authorities, Aéroports de Montréal mainly uses NEF noise contours to measure the evolution of the soundscape around Montréal–Trudeau airport. NEF (Noise Exposure Forecast) contours are approved by Transport Canada and made available to municipal governments for urban planning purposes. The NEF system provides the total noise generated by all types of aircraft operating at a given airport, based on actual aircraft movements per runway and the time of day or night. Plotting NEF contours requires a large number of mathematical calculations using a computer. The higher the NEF level, the greater the annoyance. Transport Canada cautions against any new residential development in areas of NEF 30 or higher, since disturbance can be caused by aircraft noise at NEF 25. Residential developers need to be made aware of the situation and pass on the information to all potential tenants or buyers. Residential development should also be postponed until the relevant authori
