ANMC Minutes - September 2025
| Meeting Date/Time: 11 September 2025, 1300H-1500H | ||
| Meeting Location: Vancouver International Airport | ||
| In Attendance | ||
| Chair: | Wendy Avis | Director, Climate and Environment - YVRAA |
| Secretariat: | Rachel Min-Brown | Environmental Analyst - YVRAA |
| Participants: | Graeme Bant Amy Choh Arvind Sharma Kevin Eng Ron Sorensen Erin Newman-Renwick Stephen Jordan Kieran Wilson Trevor Conkey Ammaar Ghogawala Brenden McBain Mark Cheng |
Staff Representative - City of Delta Citizen Representative - City of Richmond Citizen Representative - City of Richmond Staff Representative - City of Richmond Citizen Representative - City of Surrey Citizen Representative - City of Vancouver Staff Representative - City of Vancouver Musqueam Float Plane Operators Association Noise Information Coordinator - YVRAA Manager, Climate and Environment - YVRAA Supervisor, Noise Abatement & Air Quality - YVRAA |
| Guest: | Ian Giesbrecht Kate Macrae |
NAV CANADA Communications Specialist - YVRAA |
1.0 Welcome and Introduction
Wendy Avis welcomed attendees and acknowledged the unceded, ancestral, traditional territory of the Musqueam Nation on which YVR operates.
2.0 Airport Updates
Wendy provided the following updates:
- Organizational Change
Several organizational changes have been implemented to better align resources with YVR 2025-2027 strategic priorities shared at the last ANMC meeting. As part of the change, Alana Lawrence was appointed as the new Vice President overseeing communications, environment, and indigenous relations. Alana has been with YVR for 17 years and held roles in Communications and Government Relations, and more recently in the office of the CEO as the Strategic Advisor to the CEO. - Traffic Update
Between January and July 2025, YVR welcomed 15.5 million passengers. This is a 2.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024, and a 1.5% increase compared to the same period in 2019. While we saw an increase in the domestic and international sectors, the transborder sector was down compared to 2024 due to ongoing trade war disputes. - North Runway Modernization Program
The North Runway Modernization Program has entered its final phase, with completion anticipated by early October. While initial plans considered a full closure of the north runway, the project team was able to keep the runway operational by carrying out work during its nightly closure periods and returning the runway to service each morning. To highlight work efforts and people behind the program, YVR has launched a video series on YVR Newsroom.
3.0 Vancouver Airspace Modernization Project
Mark Cheng provided an overview of the current airspace operations and introduced Ian Giesbrecht from NAV CANADA who joined the meeting to provide updates on the Vancouver Airspace Modernization Project (VAMP).
As background, NAV CANADA, the air navigation service provider for Canada, has been undertaking a multi-year project to modernize the airspace over the Greater Vancouver and Southern Vancouver Island region. Work began in 2019 following a safety review conducted by Transport Canada. The project aims to enhance safety and modernize the airspace to ensure the airspace structure can accommodate current and future demand for air services while reducing environmental impacts such as noise and GHG emissions.
The project will introduce new arrival procedures for YVR, including satellite-based Required Navigation Performance (RNP) procedures. RNP enables aircraft to follow highly precise and predictable flight paths by using an aircraft flight management system and satellite positioning. This provides an opportunity to design a more efficient route by reducing flight distances and allowing continuous descent operations that reduce fuel burns and noise. To use RNP procedures, the aircraft must have specific navigational equipment, and the air crew must be trained. It is estimated that approximately 70% of aircraft currently operating at YVR can use an RNP procedure.
Between December 2022 and February 2023, NAV CANADA undertook an extensive public consultation to inform residents in affected areas about the project and gather feedback on proposed designs. A series of in-person and online information sessions were hosted, supported by a multi-channel campaign to raise awareness about the project.
Feedback from the community was reviewed, and mitigation measures were assessed, wherever feasible and safe, leveraging advances in air traffic management technologies.
NAV CANADA has now finalized the designs, and implementation is planned in two phases as below:
- Phase 1 (late November 2025) – Implementation of all new arrival routes and procedures, except the RNP approach procedures
- Phase 2 (February 2026) – Implementation of RNP approach procedures
While NAV CANADA made every effort to locate the new arrival routes over the least amount of people and address community feedback through mitigation measures where possible, some communities will be affected by the change. It is not possible to complete avoid overflight of populated areas as the airspace designs must meet strict Transport Canada design criteria to ensure a high level of safety, which often leaves very little flexibility given the complexity of airspace around YVR.
The planned changes associated with VAMP will only impact YVR arrival routes and procedures. There will be no changes to the routes and procedures used by YVR departing aircraft as well as aircraft operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), such as YVR float planes and most aircraft operating from other airports in the region.
A public report, including a summary of public consultations and details of final designs and timelines, and updated community reports will be posted on NAV CANADA’s project website in early November, before the changes are implemented.
Mark advised YVR has a network of noise monitoring terminals (NMTs) throughout Metro Vancouver to assess the contribution of aircraft noise in the community. To help respond to anticipated questions and concerns from residents about the airspace change, YVR is working with the City of Burnaby staff to install permanent and temporary NMTs on City properties prior to implementation. Discussions are currently ongoing to finalize locations. It was noted that collected data is used for educational purposes only.
A question was raised about noise monitoring in other affected communities. YVR Noise Management staff will consider and assess additional monitoring where appropriate.
4.0 Irregular North Runway Use
Mark discussed the irregular runway operations that occurred in the spring.
Between March 30 and May 21, the north runway was temporarily used for departures during the daytime, between 7 AM and 10 PM, while the south runway was used for arrivals due to unplanned issues related to the North Runway Modernization Program. A community advisory was posted on the YVR website and newsroom, and the post was updated as new information became available. During this period, 54 concerns were received from 30 individuals regarding the irregular runway use
Rachel Min-Brown advised routine maintenance on the south runway will continue to take place once a week for the remainder of 2025. The maintenance schedule is posted on the YVR website.
5.0 Web Material Review
Rachel provided updates on the work to review and update noise management web materials, which was identified as one of work focus areas for 2025 based on community input received about using the YVR website as a source of up-to-date information on noise management activities.
To support this work, a questionnaire was distributed to ANMC members who volunteered to review and provide feedback on the current web materials. The feedback received included suggestions for improving overall content as well as identifying potential topics for creating the next noise management informational video.
Next steps will include updating the factsheets and Noise FAQ page and working with YVR Communications to enhance accessibility of the Noise Management section of the website and develop a video, while exploring opportunities for further engagement with the ANMC during the process.
6.0 Q3 Summary
Rachel presented the summary of noise concerns received in January-August 2025. A total of 713 concerns were received from 132 individuals during this period.
7.0 Other Business
- Noise Management Plan
The Noise Management Plan has been accepted by Transport Canada and posted on the YVR website.
- Next Meeting Date
Q4 ANMC meeting will be moved to December 11 and hosted virtually.
MEETING ADJOURNMENT
Wendy thanked the attendees for their time and adjourned the meeting at 1435H.
Next Regular ANMC Meeting: December 11, 2025