After the federal government rejected Doug Ford's plan to expand Billy Bishop Airport, Toronto's Mayor Olivia Chow is urging the province to hand back expropriated airport lands, specifically the Toronto Islands and Little Norway Park.
On Monday, Chow submitted an urgent motion to City Council aiming to “stop the province's land grab” and “return” the City’s waterfront territories. The motion highlights that since the province announced its intentions to expand the airport, the City has consistently demanded clarity on the plans and their potential impact on Toronto.
Although no formal expansion plan has been made public, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA)—which operates the airport alongside the City of Toronto and Transport Canada—has indicated that the expansion cost could fall between $4 and $5 billion, with an estimated construction period of around 25 years. Despite concerns regarding the adverse effects of such an expansion on housing, parks, air and water quality, wildlife, and traffic congestion, the Ford government passed Bill 110 in June. This legislation aimed to enable the province to override municipal laws by designating the airport area as a “special economic zone,” facilitating the expansion.
Federal Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon firmly dismissed the proposal on Friday, stating the federal government would reject any plans that would compromise “treasured public spaces” such as Little Norway Park and Hanlan's Point Beach. He emphasized that such initiatives would not only lead to increased noise pollution but would also pose significant environmental risks and obstruct the City’s crucial housing developments.
In her motion, which was co-supported by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, Mayor Chow accused the TPA of “hiding plans from Torontonians” and even allegedly requesting City officials to sign non-disclosure agreements. Furthermore, Chow is seeking transparency on whether financial interests, particularly from Wall Street, were involved, referencing reports suggesting a top American bank could benefit from the airport's expansion and has been part of a significant lobbying effort addressing this issue across government levels.
A representative from the TPA responded to CityNews on Monday, mentioning they were “not sure” about the accusations made and promised to provide further details, although none were received by the publication's deadline. When approached for comments, officials from Premier Doug Ford’s office referred to a previous statement issued by Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, affirming that Ontario remains a committed partner in the tripartite agreement governing the airport’s operations.
As discussions continue back and forth, Mayor Chow emphasizes the importance of moving forward. She states that now that the Island Airport expansion is no longer on the table, the province must return the City’s lands to facilitate the development of a waterfront that residents of Toronto genuinely deserve. Chow firmly claims, “Little Norway Park, the Island lands, and all other areas outlined in the legislation belong to the residents of Toronto.”
