Ontario to declare island airport special economic zone to move expansion ahead
· Toronto Sun
The province of Ontario will declare Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport a special economic zone in its push to expand the airport, Premier Doug Ford said Monday.
The designation would allow the province to allow larger jets to land at the island airport — despite what provincial or municipal laws may say — in a bid to expand the facility and relieve pressure at Pearson International Airport.
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Large jets aren’t banned from landing at the island airport, however they don’t due to the current size of runway and noise-reduction standards.
‘Unlocking potential’
“We’re unlocking Billy Bishop Airport’s full potential by expanding the airport so we can bring cheaper flight options, more routes and more convenience to the millions of people from across Ontario who use this airport every year,” the premier said.
“With an upgraded airport on the waterfront, Toronto and Ontario will be able to compete with world-class cities across the globe, supporting tourism and business travel across Ontario and creating thousands of new jobs for Ontario workers.”
The province said it will soon take over the island airport using Bill 5 , a special economic zone provision it passed last year, that allows for development without provincial and municipal red tape to get in the way.
Leaving ‘lefties’ behind: Ford
Ford said earlier in the month that the province plans to take over the City of Toronto’s stake in the airport, a move that raised the hackles of some on city council, including Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Ausma Malik. Currently, the city owns about 20% of the land on which the airport is located.
Ford called opponents of the airport expansion “lefties” who are uninterested in job creation, economic development and convenience for the people of Toronto. The province added the move is necessary for Ontario’s growing population.
“They don’t want to create more jobs. T hey don’t want to create economic development, they don’t want to create a competitive environment and convenience for the people of Toronto,” Ford said. “But they forget, this isn’t just an airport for the people of Toronto, it’s an airport for the people of Canada and Ontario. That’s the difference. That’s why we’re taking it over.”
Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria noted that Ontario’s population is expected to grow to more than 20.5 million by 2051. “It’s critical that we build the infrastructure needed to support that growth and keep people and goods moving,” Sarkaria added.