Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria is vowing to “push forward” on the expansion of Billy Bishop airport and chastised the federal government for giving into a “fringe group” of Toronto residents who opposed the province’s plans.
Sarkaria said the province also has “no intention to repeal” legislation that allowed the province to expropriate lands from Toronto and replaced the city’s position in a tri-partite agreement that oversees the operations of the airport.
On Friday, the federal government shut down plans to expand the runway to accommodate jet aircraft and pointed to overwhelming negative feedback Ottawa received during public consultations.
“At this stage, I can confirm that our focus lies exclusively on the approved safety enhancements,” Federal Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon said, adding that the federal government will not pursue any plans that “infringe on treasured public spaces.”
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The statement was hailed by the plan’s detractors as a significant victory and led to a city council motion spearheaded by Mayor Olivia Chow demanding that the Ford government return the island airport lands that were expropriated in the spring.
While the Ford government appears to have been blindsided by the federal government’s decision, Sarkaria said the province isn’t willing to back down.
“Disappointed with the statement that was released by the federal government on Friday,” Sarkaria said. “We’ve seen the federal government listen to a small fringe group in Toronto.”
“If Prime Minister Carney and his team want to… if this is how they’re going to treat bigger projects, I don’t think you’ll get much built.”
Sarkaria said it’s a project that “makes sense” and said they heard from healthcare CEOs in Northern Ontario about connectivity and from mayors in Eastern Ontario about how the expansion would support their regions’ transportation needs.
“As members of the tri-partite agreement, Premier Ford and our government will continue to work towards a plan that was published by the Toronto port authority that supports the modernization of Billy Bishop.”
At the same time, Sarkaria said it continues to “urge the federal government to continue to consider the proposal.”
In an interview with Global News, Chow called the province’s position “worrying” and doesn’t align with the city’s “collective interpretation” of the federal government’s position.
“I thought the federal government said no. N O, no, period,” Chow said.
“I hope it’s dead because that’s what people of Toronto expect.”
“Fringe group”?!? Please. I live must outside of downtown Toronto, and I do not know a single resident who supports Ford’s plan. No one I have spoken with wants the expansion. You don’t have to be an environmental nut to recognize that destroying Toronto’s waterfront with jets is a bad idea, particularly when we have Pearson airport less than 30 minutes away. And Toronto cannot handle the traffic it already has, let alone the massive increase that would follow the expansion. Ford’s plan sucks.
Give the land to the natives Dougie and have them announce an expansion.. Then the feds will build and pay for it. easy peasy.
Swede is right. The airport is in the most urban part of the country and on man-made landfill. Its a coveted piece of infrastructure, and it should grow as the city grows.
What “environment “ is to product on this airport issue. GTA is a total smog bowl anyways Just more excuses from Carney and the Libs.
Maybe dug ford will sop keeping the liberals in power.
Carney mentioned before economic growth is most important. He originally approved the expansion then flip flopped like a gutless coward.
OM “love to fly their private jets of out Billy Bishop?”
There are no such things at Billy Bishop right. There are small for hire planes, but not private jets.
Typical liberal sheep
Wow Global. After 12 hours you moved this article from the Toronto section to being the 2nd item on the home page.
Obsessed much?
God, the Ford government must think we are a bunch of fools. Why on earth would we believe that they are doing this for easier access to rural hospitals, when all of Douggie boy’s friends love to fly their private jets of out Billy Bishop? When he himself tried to waste our money on a private jet? Typical Tory corruption, long past time we said goodbye to that whole party.
That’s all Liberals know…pander to idiots.
FAW-Q Ford
Get over it Ford. You lost. People first profit second.
And stop with the hissy fit regarding high speed train and act like a Premier not a spoiled little brat.
As a card carrying Communist,lifelong student and enthusiast of Mao ,Marx and Lenin,and a strong Carney/Liberal Party supporter,I gotta agree with Ben on this one.The Republicans should not have any interests in this airport. The CCP should be consulted though as they will likely form Government with the LPC next election.
The federal government is closer to death than the completely reasonable expansion of Billy Bishop, good job guys, keep pushing it forward!
Normally I think r@ghe@ds in government is a terrible thing but this one’s fitting. Even though the only good one is a d34d one.
Grammar check your headline
Hopefully one day Toronto might be close to a world class city.
Dougie and the Cons are once again out of their depth:The Parliament of Canada holds sole authority to regulate aeronautics, aviation, and aerodromes under the “peace, order and good government” (POGG) clause of the Constitution. Transport Canada manages flight safety, licensing, air traffic rules, and federal airport operations. Provinces have no authority over airports and cannot spend taxpayer dollars to appease the wealthy.
Stephen you haven’t been there in 5 years apparently from the way you described.
It was modernized. There are nice food options. And there is a pedestrian tunnel.
Besides that, flights have always ended at 10pm.
The left eating the left, let’s grab some popcorn and watch.
I’m all for modernizing Billy Bishop. Just don’t change the runways, the type of aircraft, or the times they fly and keep the ferry. Maybe a parking deck and more dining options while we wait for our flights. Leave everything else alone.
Doug must be screaming and farting in rage.
No fringe – majority of Torontonians and other Ontarians were outraged by the proposed expansion Environmental, noise, economical, reasons and more to STOP Fords most recent folly. We have a huge deficit and do t need to look for unwanted projects to make it worse. This is precisely why communications should be accessible on FOI requests so they can’t hide!
Hey Ford, Now you how pipeline investors feel. The rot in the country is awful
Colin D’Mello needs a new hobby. Or learn how to report with context. Carney wanted this expansion. He chose to flipflop to please the vocal minority, the iIlegal squ@tters living in cottages on the island subsidized by the rest of us. This airport has been there for 90 years, much longer than the squ@tters. Those of us downtown love this airport and the convenience. We tell our families to fly into that airport when they visit because we want them to also have that convenience. And we know that the business community needs this aiport. The planes are some of the most quiet planes out there, much less noise than cars on the The Gardiner, or the suped up cars revving their engines on our streets at 3am. Maybe Chris Glover can go back to being the MPP for our riding and address those concerns, instead of the wannabe party leader of the NDP.
Ben what republican interest???
Stephanie. There was no poll. There was a vocal organized minority who clogged the feedback. That is not a poll.
The feds said no, stop wasting taxpayers money
Carney listened to ordinary Torontonians who overwhelmingly said no. Carney said NO to expansion and the US republican interests pushing it.
The MAJORITY of people in Toronto who were surveyed said they didn’t want this expansion. Ford literally could not care less about the people in Torontonians. He regards us with nothing but contempt.
Get rid of these clueless Cons. The sooner the better. It’s over You lost move on.
The extremists are the LPCs best friends
They have no.party without them