Toronto council votes for more study of proposed island airport expansion

WATCH: It has been a year-long debate and still some argue we’re no closer to getting this proposal off the ground. Peter Kim reports.

TORONTO – Toronto city council has voted unanimously, 44-0, to further study a plan that would see the runways at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport expanded to accommodate jets.

The city will undertake a series of studies that will probe the environmental impact of the plan, as well as how an expansion would affect traffic, among other issues.

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READ MORE: Executive committee pushes airport decision to full council

Once the studies are complete, city staff will give Porter Airlines its decision on the contentious issue. Porter uses turbo prop planes at the airport but wants to use jets.

Last week, the city’s executive committee voted 11-1 to move ahead with negotiations on the proposed expansion.

READ MORE: What do the mayoral candidates say about Porter’s expansion plans?

A city staff report said the city, pending council approval, could start negotiating with the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) and Transport Canada to amend the 1983 Tripartite Agreement that bans jets from flying to and from the island airport.

An actual decision on the expansion won’t be made until 2015 with a new council.