The Canadian International Air Show has roared over the city this weekend. Here’s why some Torontonians aren’t happy about it

As anyone living near downtown Toronto will be able to tell you, the Canadian International Air Show has been taking place this weekend.

A major part of the CNE, the Air Show is a demonstration in which professional pilots take to the skies to perform stunts and synchronized maneuvers using specialty aircraft. The show, now in its 74^th year, serves as a finale to the CNE, with planes blazing across the sky at low heights for over three hours per day in the lead-up to Labour Day.

While the Air Show might be a time-honoured tradition in Toronto, some have grown fed up with the noise produced by the aircraft. One GTA resident, data enthusiast Ingrid Buday, logged the noise at a maximum of 110 dBZ, comparable to a police siren or trombone playing for an extended period of time.

"The Air Show is amazing technology, and it's thrilling and exhilarating," she said in an interview. "But now I have to ask: what's the cost of that? And what's the cost on the environment, and the cost to people? We need to re-evaluate this. Maybe this isn't the time to advertise war machines."

Buday, who has also logged sound emissions from illegal stunt driving, says the noise might be far more than merely unpleasant for some Toronto residents.

"How many people are recovering from mental illness, or have PTSD?," she asked. "How many people will be impacted negatively by this? This noise is unfair. It's created by one, and it impacts many."

While some Toronto residents feel the Air Show is an important tradition, Buday feels it might be time for this one to be re-evaluated.

"There've been many good traditions that have gone on for a long time," she said. "But just because something was done in the past, doesn't mean we need to hold on to it. We've replaced fireworks with drone shows, for instance. There might be a better option here."

Several people took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to complain about the event. One user said the air show has interrupted their afternoon naps all weekend, while another quipped that it is "such a crude Toronto punishment for not owning a cottage."

"Yes. Five days we have the smell of jet fuel, windows of our house shake, children wearing ear protection in their front garden, pets hiding in fear & I can't even imagine how newcomers from war torn county must be feeling. You've had many years of the air show now it needs to stop," former city councillor Sarah Doucette said in a post on X, replying to a user who asked about her reasons for wanting to cancel the event.

Anita Presnyak and Anton Babych, originally from Ukraine and living near the CNE site, said some of their friends who are still struggling with memories of war expressed discomfort with the air show and even experienced panic attacks from the noise.

She also said it caused some anxiety for her small black dog, Pixel.

"Immediately, he tries to find me and he runs towards me and sometimes runs into the couch," Presnyak told the Canadian Press.

While there are detractors of the air show, many also expressed their love for the event, especially plane enthusiasts.

"I love the aircraft… especially the fighter jets," one spectator told CP24 on Saturday. "It's awesome. It's really loud. That's what I love about it."

Another fan who visits Toronto every year for the show said seeing different aircraft perform aerobatics in the air is a sight to behold.

"Just seeing them in the air, seeing them downtown, I just told him it's better than Christmas. I love it," one spectator said.

Some came to see the United States Navy Blue Angels, who "perform a combination of formation and solo maneuvers in an inspiring high energy demonstration."

One fan said: "It's amazing because you see all kinds of great jet fighters and this year, the Blue Angels are here and they don't come very often."

- With files from The Canadian Press