Toronto’s waterfront has one remaining noxious vestige of its industrial past: an airport on Toronto Island, delivering noise, air pollution and threats to our waterfront. Ports Toronto, operator of Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto Island, recently launched “It’s My Airport,” a high-powered PR campaign to pressure city leaders to extend the airport’s lease, which ends in 2033. But hold on a minute – It’s Our Waterfront!
Take Action before Wednesday October 9, 2024
Ports Toronto claims the airport brings financial benefits to the city. But the island airport is heavily subsidized with taxpayers’ money.
The island airport pays property taxes at a rate far below other businesses in Toronto. Toronto taxpayers have effectively subsidized the airport’s operations by more than $36 million over 20 years. Great for the airport’s investors; not so great for us.
The federal government is providing up to $30 million to fund the construction of a US pre-clearance at the airport. Yet, the airport’s lease expires in 2033; airline flights are down and Porter has moved much of its business to Pearson Airport. This money could be better spent.
The island airport is a major source of air pollution to high density communities nearby.
A new University of Toronto study found the island airport to be the major source of ultrafine particle (UFP) air pollution in the nearby waterfront community, particularly near the new Bathurst Quay Commons, a playground, school, multi income residences and a community centre. Hear what Dr Marianne Hatzopoulou, Head of the Transportation and Air Quality research group at University of Toronto, has to say about the airport’s impacts.
Other cities are replacing their downtown airports with visionary alternatives.
Cities like Berlin, and Chicago have converted their downtown airports to parkland and Santa Monica, soon to close its city airport in 2028, is considering a wide range of uses including parks, public open spaces and public recreational facilities. It is time for Toronto to join them, particularly now we have a fast speed train to Pearson airport every 15 minutes. Let’s imagine a better future for our waterfront.
Take Action before Wednesday October 9, 2024
Recent discussions about needed Runway Extension Safety Areas (RESAs) have brought matters to a head. At a meeting on October 1, 2024 despite Ports Toronto's pressure to adopt an option that favours extending the lease beyond 2033, the city’s Executive Committee voted to support the cheapest, quickest, least invasive option. At that meeting Mayor Olivia Chow made her position clear: A wider conversation about our waterfront must take place with Torontonians BEFORE any decisions that reach far into the future.
The decision is scheduled for a vote at Toronto City Council this Wednesday October 9. Call, write, email your councillors and urge them to endorse the vote of the Executive Committee and support the least invasive option.
Here is a link to the list of City Councillors, the areas they represent and how to contact them.
Tell your city councillor:
On behalf of the thousands of citizens who have a right to participate in deciding the future of the island airport after 2033, we agree with City Staff that no decision on extending the airport’s lease should be made until there is first a "robust" public consultation and full and fair examination of the best use of those 210 acres of prime waterfront.
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