Extended runway land at Billy Bishop could be more than two kilometres long

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is pictured on Friday, July 26, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michelle Siu

The Toronto Port Authority says it is eyeing a runway extension at Billy Bishop Airport in downtown Toronto that could add more than half a kilometre of land in Lake Ontario in order to accommodate jets.

In an email to CP24.com, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) said it is still studying the “optimal length of the runway” that would enable “modern aircraft” to land and take off, but confirmed there are some upper end numbers they are looking at.

“Planning is still underway. However, at this point in our study process, we have confirmed that the maximum length of active runway that we would look to implement would be no longer than 1,830 metres,” Deborah Wilson, vice president of communications and public affairs for TPA, said in a statement.

She said in total, the landmass required to accommodate an extended runway of that size would be 2.1 kilometres, end-to-end. That would account for required Runway End Safety Areas (RESA) and airfield infrastructure.

The current runway is 1,216 metres, sitting on an end-to-end landmass of 1,432 metres. The city was already planning to add 150 metres at either end of the runway in order to comply with federal regulations requiring the Runway End Safety Areas.

“The majority of the extension would be to the west, with the goal of minimizing impacts on the inner harbour and planned housing developments along the waterfront,” Wilson said.

That would mean the runway would extend out into the lake toward Ontario Place, where the province is building a large spa and waterpark, and revamping Budweiser Stage.

No plans for the airport expansion have yet been finalized.

The Toronto Port Authority is a federal Crown agency. Together with the federal government and the City of Toronto, it has been part of a tripartite agreement that has governed the airport for decades.

In recent weeks, the Ford government announced it would take over the city’s part in the agreement and expropriate a parcel of city land around the airport, including a section of Little Norway Park.

Premier Doug Ford said the government wants to expand the airport in order to allow jets and to make the airport a viable alternative to Pearson International Airport, a much larger airport with hundreds of daily flights.

However the government has released few details about its exact plans so far.

The Globe and Mail first reported on the specific numbers being eyed for the runway extension.

Critics worried expansion could cause traffic, health problems

Mayor Olivia Chow has slammed the government’s expropriation plans, calling it a “power grab.” The airport expansion has also long been opposed by a group of local residents.

At a news conference at Queen’s Park Tuesday, the Ontario NDP warned several previous studies have pointed out a slew of potential problems with expanding the airport, from unmanageable traffic in the area, to possible health problems from the increased emissions.

“If you look at those two reports, one by Ports Toronto, and the other one by Air Canada, the summary is that Billy Bishop is just too small,” said NDP MPP Chris Glover, who represents the area. “It’s only 200 acres. The next smallest airport in North America that has jets is 600 acres, and that’s San Diego. It’s too crowded.”

Glover also suggested the government is facilitating the expansion in order to help the airport’s owner and investors protect their stake in the airport by buoying lagging passenger numbers.

While the airport currently serves around 2 million passengers a year, the Ford government has said it would like to see the airport serve “millions more passengers each year.”

The NDP said the expansion would endanger the city’s waterfront as an asset and questioned why it is necessary when there is already a major planned expansion of capacity at Pearson.

Criticism ‘sensationalist’: Transportation minister

Responding to some of the criticism in an interview with CP24 Tuesday, Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the government’s plans are reasonable.

“There’s a lot of sensationalist claims being made here. I think, look, we have a very reasonable, reasonable approach that we want to move forward on. And if it were up to the NDP or Liberals, they would never build anything in this province.”

He likened Toronto to New York, London and Chicago, which are all served by at least two major airports.

“The City of Toronto, the province of Ontario, needs two airports,” Sarkaria said.

He promised that there would be consultation on the plans, and that nearby housing would be protected and the ferry path to the island accommodated.

“We’re going to work very, very closely with all of those involved,” Sarkaria said. “We love our waterfront. We’re going to ensure that it continues to be a good waterfront, but it can’t be at the cost opposing Billy Bishop, can’t be at the cost of doing nothing. We need to expand.”

Wilson said the runway length is being assessed “to meet the requirements for newer, quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft, in line with applicable aviation safety and regulatory standards.”

She added that TPA’s approach would be “evidence-based” and balanced.

“We are committed to engaging partners, neighbours, governments and waterfront stakeholders as this work moves forward, and to sharing the plan for stakeholder input and comment,” she said.