The federal government has launched a public consultation to get feedback on potentially expanding Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport amid a controversial push by Premier Doug Ford’s government.
According to a statement issued by Transport Canada Monday afternoon, the public consultation for residents, business owners, air industry stakeholders, community groups and waterfront users was launched earlier in the day. It runs until July 24 and includes an online survey and engagement sessions.
Officials said there will be “direct engagement” with Indigenous peoples and getting advice from “expert organizations like Waterfront Toronto and others to help inform next steps.”
They said key areas of feedback being sought involve environmental impacts, noise, housing, transportation, urban planning, economic development and social benefits.
“This is an open consultation process with no decisions made at this stage. This consultation process will ensure that Toronto residents, other Canadians, Indigenous peoples and stakeholders are heard,” the statement said.
“The feedback received through this process will play an important role in informing the Government of Canada’s decision-making on the way forward.”
Click here to access the survey and other ways to provide feedback to the federal government. Authorities said a report summarizing all the feedback received will be released at a future date.
News of the consultation launch came just days after Prime Minister Mark Carney teased the process.
“I personally have not formed an opinion, just to be absolutely clear, on the airport in part because those full processes have not been done,” he said during an unrelated news conference on Thursday.
The land where Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport sits is mostly owned by the Toronto Port Authority, an independent organization that operates primarily under federal jurisdiction. The Ontario government recently acquired a smaller stake previously held by the City of Toronto. Transport Canada also owns a small percentage. The property is governed by a tripartite agreement and a private operator runs much of the airport itself under the oversight of the Toronto Port Authority.
A business plan and detailed expansion plans haven’t been released by Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport or the Toronto Port Authority.
In recent months, Ford and his government have pushed for expanding the airport and its main runway.
“I believe that there’s going to be thousands of jobs created over this expansion, but it’s going to make the runway a lot safer, extending the runway from not one penny of taxpayers’ money. There’s an investment of over $5 billion to expand the airport,” Ford said on Thursday during an unrelated news conference, adding the rest of Toronto Island Park should remain untouched.
“It’s going to be convenient, and it’s going to benefit not just Toronto, the GTA, but people all over Ontario and all over Canada, and it will be done responsibly. It will be done with consultation with the City and the federal government and the Port Authority.”
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