The Toronto Island Airport lands are public assets and their future use should be a matter of public debate

July 29, 2024

Letter to: Brian Lilley

In response to: LILLEY: City staff muse about turning Billy Bishop Airport into park

The Toronto Sun – July 25, 2024

Thanks for your piece on the Island Airport.

I thought you’d appreciate some information that completes the story on what’s going on just now.

What Steenstra and Pakey don’t tell you is that their business is way down, with Porter and Air Canada cutting way back on the flights from the Airport. About 46% on the typical days we’ve looked at.

Porter was losing serious money – before COVID – and is focussed on Pearson, where there’s much more potential for profit.

Nieuport paid Porter >$700M for the terminal, and most of that’s lost if the Airport fails, or is closed. It’s that money that Porter seems to be using to expand at Pearson.

The Airport lands are public assets – most given to the Harbour Commission in 1911 by the City. Their future use should be a matter of public debate, including serious consideration of their future use a parkland, given the dire shortage in our City.

Ports Toronto clearly does not want that debate. See this letter to Ports Toronto (it did not respond). This piece was issued by Waterfront for All in an effort to advance that discussion.

We are bewildered by why the federal government continues to pour money into the Airport, given the impending deadlines, and consequent uncertainty about its future.

While there is genuine economic activity at the Island Airport, it wouldn’t be lost if the Airport closes – it just transfers to Pearson. If you look at the studies carried out for Ports Toronto and/or Nieuport, they duck that issue. U of T Prof Sandford Borins clarifies that in this video, that I also appear in.

Important to get all the facts, I’d suggest. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Brian Iler

Spokesperson for Parks not Planes