Prime Minister Mark Carney is hinting at a federal consultation process on the potential expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and that he hasn’t made a decision on the project.
During an unrelated news conference in Toronto Thursday morning on a national artificial intelligence strategy, Carney was asked about the controversial runway expansion and a lack of strong public support for the project by Liberal MPs in the city.
“The initiatives come from the province … and what’s important is that there’s adequate consultation with affected residents, the broader City of Toronto, and we will put in place, and we’ll make announcements shortly of, (a) consultation process in order for that to take place over the course of the summer,” he said.
“There’s issues of transportation, there’s issues of economics, but there’s issues of neighbourhoods, quality of life, environmental concerns or issues, parks, and other elements.”
Carney didn’t elaborate on how extensive the community consultation would be or on exact timelines, adding that he’s waiting to hear more.
“We’ll use a process … to understand all of that and get the feedback, and one of the many strengths of my colleagues, and they have many, is that they are very tied into their communities and have those perspectives,” he said.
“I personally have not formed an opinion, just to be absolutely clear, on the airport in part because those full processes have not been done.”
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Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is governed by a tripartite agreement involving the Toronto Port Authority, the federal government and now the Province since the Ford government recently assumed the City of Toronto’s stake. A private operator runs much of the airport itself under the oversight of the Toronto Port Authority.
Chi Nguyen, the Liberal MP for Spadina–Harbourfront — the riding encompassing Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, released a statement on Wednesday saying a decision on the airport’s future “will not be made without Toronto residents having their voices heard.”
“I will not accept any proposal that puts Little Norway Park, Bathurst Quay lands, Toronto Islands, beaches, greenspace, schools, or community spaces at risk,” Nguyen wrote.
“My position is straightforward: Protect the park, protect the islands, protect the beach and Lake Ontario, prove the economic case, and consult Toronto before any decisions are made.”
However, some residents called out Nguyen’s statement and encouraged her to reject an expansion outright.
During a news conference earlier in the day about a timeline for uploading the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway to the Ontario government, Ford was asked about the airport expansion and the absence of vocal support from many local MPs.
“That’s strictly up to the prime minister to talk to his MPs,” he said.
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“I believe that there’s going to be thousands of jobs created over this expansion, but it’s going to make the runway a lot safer, extending the runway from not one penny of taxpayers’ money. There’s an investment of over $5 billion to expand the airport.
“It’s going to be convenient, and it’s going to benefit not just Toronto, the GTA, but people all over Ontario and all over Canada, and it will be done responsibly. It will be done with consultation with the City and the federal government and the Port Authority.”
He added that the rest of Toronto Island Park should remain untouched.
Ford has said the federal government is on board, but the Carney government has been noncommittal publicly.
While standing alongside Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, he acknowledged the two have differing positions. For her part, she said it will be up to Liberal MPs to publicly confirm their stances.
“Like them, I still have not seen a clear plan or any plan from the Toronto Port Authority as to what is it that they are trying to do,” she said.
“What is the plan? What is the business plan? How are you going to reach 10 million passengers? How many flights is it going to take? How long is the runway? Who is going to pay for what? I have not seen any of the plans, so I think I share some of the frustration that the local members of parliament are experiencing,” shared Chow.
With files from The Canadian Press