letters 

Jan 22 2025 Letter to Mayor and Council from Qualicum Woods Residents Assoc. (Edited for brevity) After the Dec 4th Committee of the whole meeting, we made contact with Sealand Flight. The goal of our conversation was improving communications on the airport noise issues of concern to our community. Nancy Marshall, Manager and Ian Lamont, Chief Flight Instructor have been very cooperative and helpful during our conversations. Sealand agreed that one way they could reduce in impacts of noise on our community was to adopt flight behaviours which for the most part would see their planes flying away from the densely populated areas of Qualicum Beach, and specifically avoiding the Qualicum Woods/Evergreen/Aldous and Hemsworth neighbourhoods. Sealand have advised that they have adopted the voluntary Good Neighbour Plan as internal company policy. They are also doing what they can to respect Noise Sensitive areas currently designated in the Canadian Flight Supplement(CFS) diagram and the ones proposed to the town by the QWRA for inclusion in any future CFS publications. Sealand have sent out an email to their clients and staff advising them of these policies. Even more significantly, they have advised that in 2025, if users are not respectful of these policies, they will no longer have access to their (Sealand) planes. We also discussed pilot activity, both Sealand and other flight companies using our airport as observed on Sealand's internal flight tracking system. Sealand have indicated they are very much concerned about pilot activities in Qualicum Beach which impact community quality of life from noise and potential lead exposure. We are sending this information to your attention to offer our sincere thanks to Sealand Flight for their openness to work with us on finding solutions to the noise and lead problems. These actions by Sealand were taken after a one hour phone call and a few emails between ourselves. Sealand also continue to interact with the community as new concerns are raised. We believe it is important to highlight that Sealand, like QWRA, have identified that there are continuing issues of airport noise impacts beyond their control such as: -Instrument Flight Rules impacting Iskew which restrict freedom for pilot activity to choose flying over less populated areas; -Lack of adherence by pilots to the Good Neighbour Program which both Sealand and community members are witnessing daily; -the activities of non local flight school instructors and students who do not follow the Good Neighbour Program. Working together with Sealand has proven to us that when the will exists and the right people connect, various stakeholders are able to implement solutions for the benefit of our entire community. We would ask that Council look to this example of cooperation with the community as a success which can be replicated by you to address outstanding airport issues. Todd Provost President , Qualicum Woods Residents Association. ................ Letter to Mayor Westbroek and Council October 26 2024 My husband and I were out in our garden doing yard work from 5:30 to 6:30 on October 22nd. The noise from airplanes departing at the QB Airport became so incessant that at 6PM I started timing the number of times airplanes took off and flew directly over our property. This situation happens frequently and the noise is so great we have to stop our conversation and wait until the planes pass overhead. I stopped what I was doing and decided to record how often we were interrupted. We had 12 take offs and fly overs within a 20 minute period with the average respite between flights of 1 min 48 seconds...not a lot of time to continue our conversation before the next plane comes. I am assuming these planes are from the flight school as it is the same planes continuously circling over our property. I am not sure if it is a result of the Good Neighbor program but we are experiencing a much greater number of planes directly over our property since the summer. We are very upset that the town has encouraged pilots to change their flight path to over the Rupert Rd area and we also have empathy for residents in Qualicum Woods who also do not want the noise over their homes. Please take action to significantly restrict training, or limit the airport to essential use only, so that it does not operate during summer hours when we are trying to enjoy family meals outside. The airport is a drain on taxpayer resources and I can't see why our tax dollars go to a venture that not only gives very little to the town but disrupts the quality of life for a large portion of its residents. I ask that the town please urgently deal with the noise, air pollution and wasted tax dollars. S&G W Qualicum Beach ---------------- This article has been very eye opening. Of course, I can’t help wonder what the long term outlook for Town finances would be if we weren’t losing approx. $500k annually in tax dollars on the airport, as revealed in the recent analysis found elsewhere on this site. T.T. Qualicum Beach -------------- I'm done with complaining to the town about airport related noise violations and the privileged pilots who continue to fly over the community at low altitudes. The flight schools have added more continuous noise and should be prevented from flying at our airport. The town has only excuses, blaming other levels of government and continues to tax QB residents for the increasing airport deficits. Therefore I am letting it be known, that I will be supporting any initiative that decommissions the airport. FH Qualicum Beach --------------- Municipal airports across the country are closing due to high costs to taxpayers. In a recent video the Mayor of Campbell River calls out their airport for not running like a business, and being dependent on taxpayer funding for 6 years. We need that attitude and leadership. Who benefits from our airport...a handful of private plane owners, and a small number of Iskwew Air users. Who pays for it...all 9300 QB residents. It is time to shut down "Country Club Cat4" J.S. Qualicum Beach

Thanks for all your research and great information! Agree with you and feel this town needs to take a more informed look at things instead of wasting money that could be spent far more wisely. Government grants are not free. F.W. Qualicum Beach

Re: New development proposal 201 First Ave West I am assuming the developer has proposed medical clinic space as an incentive to get approval from council, but the vast majority of this proposed 5-story building is designed for other purposes. Providing space for a new clinic in Qualicum Beach doesn’t mean the Town will secure the funding and doctors to work there, which should continue to be the priority. T.T. Qualicum Beach

This is a great new portal for discussion and an important part of informing Qualicum Beach residents of issues they should be aware of, and hopefully take action on (e.g. with their votes). And thanks so much for your financial forensics on the airport. I am very much in your camp as far as questions that need answering and a better long term plan for that operation that benefits ALL of this community, not just pilots, and reduces the negative impacts it currently has on our health and quality of life. Regards, T.T. Qualicum Beach

Dear Mayor and Councilors I would like to bring to your attention (in case you are not aware)that town staff has advertised as required the towns intention to issue three leases for airport hangers. These leases are for 10 years with a further right to renew for a further 2 terms of 10 years each. Essentially committing the town to a 30 year commitment. Given the ongoing losses and significant dollars QBTax payers are funding this airport, in my opinion it is completely irresponsible to make this type of contract. We are getting as little as $7.00 a day to park a private plane in a hanger for the next 10 years, while town is subsidizing the airport by approx. $1400 a day based on my best efforts to quantify the subsidy from the towns published financial information. My recommendation is to allow these potential tenants to rent on a month to month basis or significantly reduce the terms of the lease to 1 or 2 years with no guaranteed right to renew. This will give this council ( and the next councils) the time to assess and the flexibility to adapt as necessary. These plane owners are not likely to park their planes elsewhere as obviously QB is convenient to them and cost is a true bargain. Respectfully, MDN Qualicum Beach