I share the serious concerns of waterfront residents, Torontonians, and Canadians over Doug Ford's plans to take over Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (also known as the Toronto Island Airport). You can watch the press conference I and my colleagues from the Ontario NDP hosted, where we explain why Ford’s waterfront takeover and expansion of Billy Bishop is dangerous, environmentally destructive and ultimately a waste of taxpayer dollars.
Provide Feedback to Transport Canada and Save our Waterfront!
As a result of community advocacy, the Government of Canada has opened public consultation on the future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The Province of Ontario still cannot act alone on any airport operational decisions without unanimous consent from the signing partners named the Tripartite Agreement, which includes the federal government. If Transport Canada determines, based on feedback, that the project should not go ahead, the province will not be able to move forward.
Now, more than ever, it is crucial that we hear your thoughts on the matter. If you oppose the expansion of the airport, please take the time to leave feedback.
You can submit feedback by:
- Completing the anonymous online survey
- Emailing written feedback to [email protected] with the subject line: “Consultation – Future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport”
-
Mailing written feedback to:
Attention: Consultation – Future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
Transport Canada, Air Policy
Place de Ville, Tower C
330 Sparks St
Ottawa ON K1A 0N5
You can visit the Government of Canada's Feedback Page here: Public consultation on the future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
If you need a starting point for comments, you can look at my Billy Bishop Fast Facts sheet.
I also encourage you to reach out to the Toronto-area MPs, as the federal Liberal party needs to hear your opinion on this matter as well.
What is being taken over?
Ford’s new legislation, Bill 110, enables him to forcibly take over city-owned lands and Toronto’s interest in the Tripartite Agreement which governs the small island airport. This agreement was signed in 1983 by the three landowners: Toronto Port Authority, Transport Canada, and the City of Toronto. The province is not named in the Tripartite Agreement, thus Ford’s hostile takeover by way of legislation.
Further to Ford’s island airport takeover, Bill 110 also lists other prescribed properties by Property Information Number that the province will seize. These additional lands include Little Norway Park on the mainland, Hanlan’s Point, Ward’s Island, South Island, Forestry Island, Centre Island, Olympic Island and Muggs Island. The map below shows the islands the province plans to unilaterally take over from the City of Toronto.
Pointlessly Poaching from Pearson
Ford’s plans to take over Toronto Island Airport for the purpose of expanding the runways for big jets and longer flights are an expensive and reckless land grab at a time when Ontarians are facing the worst affordability crisis in decades. People cannot afford housing or basic necessities like groceries; many are resorting to food banks and taking on credit card debt. Unemployment remains high, especially for young people.
It is unclear how Ford can justify this unilateral takeover. It certainly cannot be to increase convenience for Ontarians. Ford must be reminded that the UP Express train, launched in 2015 and paid for by the province, takes approximately 25 minutes to travel between Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport and runs every 15 minutes. There’s no sense in paving over the lake with our tax dollars when a direct, reliable service already exists and operates 7 days a week.
There’s a straightforward reality here: Toronto does not need to fly jets over its waterfront or extend runways at Billy Bishop island airport to meet this city, province or country’s air travel needs.
The Pearson LIFT expansion at Toronto Pearson International Airport represents one of the largest infrastructure transformations in our province. LIFT, short for “Long-term Investment in Facilities and Terminals” is a multi-billion-dollar plan to modernize and expand Pearson over the next 10 years. This includes expansive renovations to Terminals 1 and 3, added plane taxi lanes, stands, slots, and gates for improved passenger processing, that allow 65 to 70 million passengers to move through our city and region each year. All of this has been approved, designed and progressively funded with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for May 11.
Air travel demand at Pearson has been growing, while Billy Bishop shed 800,000 passengers with the number of flights recorded last year at 1.7 million only. Forcing demand to Billy Bishop and permanently alternating Toronto’s waterfront is illogical and a thoughtless waste of taxpayer dollars.
What will Ford’s takeover cost?
Ford claims he is creating economic benefits for Ontarians, but his expansion plans would cost them billions. Porter Airlines assesses that flying the same commercial operation out of the Toronto Island Airport is three times more expensive than at Pearson Airport.
Another independent report commissioned by Air Canada in 2015 found that airport expansion would cost at least $1 billion, including $50 million to add more parking spots, at least $92 million to expand the runway, and the cost of compliance with new Transport Canada safety rules. Eleven years later, $1 billion will certainly not cut it anymore. These costs will inevitably be passed on to taxpayers and reflected in skyrocketing ticket prices and airport improvement fees.
Moreover, the Ford government has a horrific track record of failures on major infrastructure projects. He opened the Eglinton Crosstown LRT 6-years late and $1 billion over budget. He pointlessly closed the Ontario Science Centre to fund the development of an Austrian luxury spa at Ontario Place. Ontarians continue to pay the hefty price for Ford’s infrastructure failures. When past performance predicts future behaviour, there is no reason to believe that a Ford-controlled Toronto Island Airport will be anything other than another looming financial disaster.
Ford failed to consult with locals about health and safety concerns
Ford made the unilateral decision to take over the Toronto Island Airport without consulting the people most deeply affected. Residents of Toronto’s waterfront and downtown were blindsided by the recent announcement and are deeply concerned about the increase in noise and pollution in the area from large jets ripping across the waterfront. These concerns are longstanding and legitimate.
It is not safe to have high volumes of air traffic near high-rise buildings, yet Billy Bishop has received exemptions from nearly every air navigation rule. Moving from modest turboprop planes to large jets at Billy Bishop will increase risk and compromise safety; even a minor accident would be devastating.
Furthermore, the impact of jets flying across a densely populated waterfront and downtown neighbourhood would have major health impacts. The Toronto Port Authority has reported that people living on the waterfront will be at greater risk of lung cancer. Jets will land and spew fumes 200 metres away from the elementary school across from Little Norway Park. Additionally, the expansion would cause a 450% increase in downtown traffic, leading to more idling, pollution, congestion and collisions.
Doug Ford’s failure to consult residents and business owners on Toronto’s waterfront and the downtown demonstrates an astounding disregard for the risks to human health. All of these health impacts would also affect the tourists from across Canada and the world. The Premier is meant to serve the people, not punish those who didn’t vote for him. He should be ashamed.
No regard for environmental consequences
Ford’s proposed expansion also comes with many environmental consequences. Allowing jets to fly out of the island airport would require massively expanding the runway by 900 metres, the addition of a new terminal and other supplementary assets with detrimental impacts on air and water quality, bird migration, and marine ecosystems. More flights increase the risk of biohazard spills like oil and de-icing agents. Jets over our Toronto waterfront would also mean higher emissions and more air pollution. Ford tried to sell off the Greenbelt to developers and repealed laws requiring the province to have a climate plan and emissions reduction targets. As his record shows, Ford cannot be trusted to protect our wildlife and delicate ecosystems.
Ford’s massive land grab raises serious environmental and health concerns and increases the financial burdens of struggling Ontarians. Everything is at stake. We must stop Doug Ford’s hostile take over of the island airport and Toronto’s waterfront.
The Ontario NDP and I are committed to real consultation and fact-based decision-making. I will do everything in my power to call on the Ford government to address the real issues affecting Ontario families, from overcrowded classrooms, OSAP cuts and hallway medicine to the high cost of housing, fuel, and groceries. Governments should prioritize their citizens' health and economic well-being, not make it worse. We love our city and waterfront even if Ford does not.
If you agree, please sign my petition below and I will present it to the Ontario Legislative Assembly on your behalf: https://www.kristynwongtam.ca/stop-fords-billy-bishop-takeover
Yours in community service,
Kristyn Wong-Tam
MPP, Toronto Centre