Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has introduced an urgent motion at Toronto City Council to oppose the Ford government’s takeover of Billy Bishop Airport.
The motion comes after the Province introduced the Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026 in the legislature on Thursday which looks to expand the airport, including plans to extend the runway to allow jets to operate from the island facility.
If passed, the province would take over the City of Toronto’s role in the tripartite agreement between the City, Toronto Port Authority and the federal government that governs the airport. It would also take ownership of city-owned lands at the airport, including one-third of Little Norway Park alongside Eireann Quay.
In a press release, the Province says they “will work with all partners, including the Toronto Port Authority and the City of Toronto, to mitigate any potential impact on the park resulting from the airport’s future expansion.” They also add that they will work with all parties to develop a “fair compensation framework” as they take over “city-owned parcels of land [that] have been identified to support future airport expansion.”
In response, the mayor calls the province’s bill an “undemocratic overreach.”
“The province is about to uproot a complete community, take our land, and pave over Little Norway Park. That sends a signal to all Torontonians, if the province wants to, they can take land, public space and parks to pave them without the City of Toronto having a say,” said the mayor in a press release.
Chow’s motion calls on Toronto City Council to formally oppose the “land grab” and ask the federal government to stop the province’s expropriation of City land and “clarify their position on the land grab.” It also recommends exploring and authorizing legal action to protect the City’s interests.
In addition, it recommends asking for compensation to be paid to the City for the land and 40 years of investment into Little Norway Park and to families who bought homes or live nearby, “who are losing their neighbourhood park, rec centre, public space and more.”
The motion also calls for compensation to recreational sports leagues that will lose the use of Little Norway Park and for the Province to pay to move the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre community centre, Waterfront Elementary School, The City School, and the Lakeside Waterfront Child Care and other public buildings.
The Province says the bill is “an important step in the province’s plan to support the long-term modernization and expansion of Billy Bishop Airport.”
It is currently unclear how much further or in which direction the airport’s runway will be extended or what specific lands the expanded footprint of the facility will cover.
The bill is expected to be posted here.
