Safety

Managing obstacles, including natural growth around the airport, is a major component of airport safety. Transport Canada has established the Oshawa Airport Zoning Regulations, limiting all obstacles height, including trees, within a 4 km radius around the airport.

Each year, the airport measures the height of trees around the airport to ensure that they do not penetrate the airspace and create a hazard to aviation. It is important to note that the size of the tree must remain below the airspace, and the lowest airspace is located on the approach to each runway.

At the Oshawa Executive Airport, our environmental policy focuses on continuous improvement, compliance with environmental regulations and pollution prevention. Our comprehensive strategy includes:

• Managing all fuel handled and stored at the airport
• Replacing building and airfield lighting with state of the art solar and L.E.D. lighting where possible
• Reducing vehicle idling
• Managing stormwater runoff, including the reintroduction of clean rooftop rainwater back into the groundwater
• Working to eliminate the use of leaded aviation fuel once Transport Canada approves an alternate fuel for aircraft use

If a tree is approaching the airspace, the airport retains an arborist and determines the best method to prevent the tree from violating the airspace. Action may include trimming the tree or removing the tree, depending on the location, age, type and access.

Property owners are responsible for ensuring compliance with the mandatory airport zoning regulations. When a tree is on a residential property, the airport has a policy to help trim or remove trees. A suitable replacement will be planted if a residential property tree is removed. However, if the tree is on a commercial property, the costs of trimming or removing it belong to the commercial property owner.

The airport has a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (E.R.P.), for all conceivable aviation related emergency scenarios on and off the airport. The plan is reviewed annually with input from Durham Region Police Service (D.R.P.S.), Oshawa Fire Services (O.F.S.), and Emergency Management Services (E.M.S.).

An annual training exercise is conducted involving airport staff, airport tenants, D.R.P.S., O.F.S. and E.M.S. Whitby Fire Services also participates in the review and training exercises under their mutual aid agreement with O.F.S. The E.R.P. includes all relevant resources, contact procedures and information for all related provincial and federal departments and agencies.

By 2043, southern Ontario will be home to 15.5 million people. Demand for air travel is expected to reach 110 million trips annually. Modest estimates put Toronto Pearson Airport at 70 million passengers a year by mid-2030.

The Southern Ontario Airport Network (S.O.A.N.) was launched to address this growth. The Oshawa Executive Airport (CYOO) is one of 11 airports working together to support the growing demand. S.O.A.N. provides a setting to share information, address issues and understand opportunities within Southern Ontario.

The City reviews all new development applications for compatibility with the operation of the Oshawa Executive Airport.

The Provincial Policy Statement, 2014 (P.P.S.) requires municipalities to plan for land uses in the vicinity of airports. This ensures that the long term operation and economic role are protected and to design airports and surrounding areas so that there is sufficient buffering and separation between airports and sensitive land uses (e.g. residential, schools). New residential and other sensitive land uses are not permitted in areas near airports above 30 Noise Exposure Forecast/Noise Exposure Projection (N.E.F. / N.E.P.). Additionally, redevelopment or infill residential or sensitive land uses are only permitted in areas over 30 N.E.F. / N.E.P. where it is demonstrated that there will be no negative impacts on the long-term function of the airport. Development that may cause potential aviation safety hazards is discouraged.

Development requirements

All new development near the Oshawa Executive Airport must comply with the Transport Canada Oshawa Airport Zoning Regulations for building heights. The Transport Canada regulations apply to much of the area north of Gibb St., west of Harmony Rd. and south of Winchester Rd. It also applies to locations in the Town of Whitby.

Lands south of Taunton Rd. W. on Airport Blvd., Aviator Ln. and Keith Ross Dr. are zoned A.P. (Airport), which permits a range of commercial, industrial and aviation related uses.

Lands north of Taunton Rd. W. and west of the Oshawa Creek West branch are designated Industrial in the Oshawa Official Plan. Specific commercial uses are also permitted. These uses are generally compatible with the operation of the airport. The City intends to implement appropriate zoning for the area in the future to permit industrial development. Currently, these lands are zoned U.R. (Urban Reserve) so that new sensitive land uses cannot be established in this area before the City applies the industrial zoning.

Lands on the south side of Taunton Rd. W. between Northbrook St. and the Oshawa Creek West branch are designated Residential in the Oshawa Official Plan. Currently, these lands are zoned U.R. in the City's Zoning By-law 60-94 to ensure that they are not redeveloped for residential purposes until it can be demonstrated that any proposed development complies with the Federal height regulations, the N.E.F. / N.E.P. contours and the airport operations.

The City of Oshawa owns certain lands around the airport that areused for recreational purposes and compatible with the airport, including most lands on the east side of Thornton Rd. N. south of Taunton Rd. W.

New residential developments near the airport must include warning clauses for dwelling unit purchasers and occupants. The warning clause advises that the site is near the Oshawa Executive Airport and its corresponding aircraft operations. In some cases, a noise study is required to evaluate the impact of aircraft noise on sensitive land uses and to provide recommendations for compliance with the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change noise guidelines (e.g. warning clauses, upgraded building construction).

The City also reviews development applications in proximity to the airport for the possibility to attract concentrations of birds, such as stormwater management ponds and waste storage areas. Measures to avoid the concentration of birds near the airport are employed to minimize risks to aircraft (e.g. stormwater management, pond design and fully enclosed waste storage buildings).