Council votes in favour of further study on Billy Bishop Airport expansion

Morning Update: Expansion talks still alive Plans to expand the Island Airport are still alive after council voted in favour of negotiations that could eventually lead to expansions.

Toronto council has voted unanimously 44-0 to push ahead with negotiations that could lead to the expansion of Billy Bishop Airport.

Councillors debated a proposal to expand the runways at the island airport to allow Porter Airlines to fly jets to and from the downtown location on Tuesday.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly told reporters he considers the vote a victory.

"The modernization of the airport is not dead. People thought it was three months ago," Kelly said. "The airport is critical to the health of our downtown, to our business community. It will not only give more jobs but the variety of jobs our men and women are looking for."

Robert Deluce, CEO of Porter Airlines, told reporters he wasn't anticipating a strong vote from council.

"There needs to be an environmental assessment and a master plan. The interesting thing is that those things can take place while the negations are going on. It should come together quite nicely sometime in 2015," Deluce said.

Councillors who have publically opposed the expansion are also considering this vote a victory.

"Council did not decide to approve jets," Coun. Pam McConnell told reporters. "We will have a discussion a year from now. It is my hope by that time many councillors will see the devastating effects the expansion would have on the waterfront."

"We have a neighbourhood that deserves noise protection. We have a city and a waterfront to protect and all the motions passed today protect that," Coun. Adam Vaughan told reporters.

Vaughan said for the first time in eight years the neighbourhood he represents has a "process going forward to make it safe and healthy."

A series of studies will be launched before city staff will give Porter a final decision. The studies will look into the environmental impact, risks of traffic congestion and other issues posed by those against the expansion.

Porter's proposal includes extending runways at the island airport by 200 metres at each end to make room for passenger jets.

Porter has said that runway expansions would allow the airline to increase its services, which have grown from 26,000 passengers in 2006 to 2.3 million passengers in 2013.

Jets are currently banned from flying at the island airport.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, one of the main supporters of the project, was absent from the discussion for several hours. Dan Jacobs, the mayor's chief of staff, told CTV Toronto that the mayor wasn't "feeling well."

Ford did not answer questions about his absence as he arrived at city hall shortly before 1 p.m., but Coun. Doug Ford, the mayor's brother, told reporters that Rob Ford missed the morning portion of the meeting because he'd hurt his back working out.

With files from CTVNews.ca's Kendra Mangione