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Ontario Bill Would Let Province Take Over Billy Bishop Airport Role
The bill would let Ontario take the city’s airport stake and seize waterfront land to support a jet expansion, including about one-third of Little Norway Park.
- On Thursday, Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria introduced the Building Billy Bishop Act, legislation allowing the province to seize the City of Toronto's 20 per cent stake in Billy Bishop Airport, advancing Premier Doug Ford's push to accommodate jets.
- The expropriation removes Toronto from the airport's governing Tripartite Agreement, a decades-old pact between the city, the federal government, and the Toronto Port Authority that explicitly banned jet aircraft, enabling expansion.
- Runway extensions needed for jets limit building heights in the nearby Port Lands, where residential towers currently range from 19 to 46 storeys. Ford accused the city of "deliberately attempting to sabotage the airport's growth."
- Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow filed an urgent council motion opposing the "unilateral action to grab city land without consulting Torontonians," requesting the province reimburse Little Norway Park costs and offer relocation support to residents within 500 metres.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney has not endorsed the jets but confirmed active negotiations, calling the plan a "very interesting vision." The province's plan to designate the site a "special economic zone" could trigger new legal challenges for the city.
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38 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources38
Leaning Left27Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution87% Left
Bias Distribution
- 87% of the sources lean Left
87% Left
L 87%
13%
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