Ontario opposition leader calls on Carney to block Ford government’s airport plans

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles says she has written a letter asking PM Carney to stop Premier Ford from expanding Billy Bishop airport.

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government to block Ontario’s plans around the expansion of Billy Bishop Airport in downtown Toronto, saying she believes the move could result in wider destruction of the Toronto islands.

“There’s one voice who could end this today, and that’s Prime Minister Mark Carney. The prime minister gets a say on whether or not this ridiculous project moves forward,” Stiles said at a news conference by the city’s waterfront Friday.

The Ford government recently introduced legislation that would allow it to take over the City of Toronto’s role in an agreement that governs the airport lands. That legislation includes provisions that would allow the province to seize control of more space on the Toronto islands as well.

“If he (Premier Doug Ford) wants to clear cut Hanlan’s point or give Centerville to one of his rich donors, Bill 110 is going to give him the power to do just that,” Stiles said.

The Ford government has said it wants to expand the island airport in order to be able to land jets there – a move that would beef up the airport as an alternative to Pearson International Airport and give travellers more options. For its part, the government has said it does not plan to take over the entirety of the Toronto Islands. However Stiles pointed out the premier has broken such promises in the past, such as his promise not to touch the Greenbelt.

“It’s kind of like saying, ‘I’m giving myself the keys to your house, but I swear I won’t go in.’ And if you’re not going to take it, why give yourself the power to?” she said.

Speaking with CP24 Friday, Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the case for the airport expansion “speaks for itself” and would be a “win-win.”

He said the federal government is looking for nation building projects to offset the impact of the trade war with the U.S. and has expressed interest in the project.

“The prime minister was here and was interested in the Billy Bishop project when this was proposed a couple of weeks ago,” Sarkaria said.

“When you look at what’s happening south the border with our largest trading partner, Canada has to be more resilient,” Sarkaria said. “We have to build bigger projects, and we have to focus on infrastructure that is going to support this country, not just for the next three or four years, but for generations to come. Billy Bishop is one of those.”

The airport is governed by a three-party agreement that includes the federal government, the Toronto Port Authority and the City of Toronto. While the province wants to seize Toronto’s place in the agreement, changes to the deal must be approved by the federal government.

In a letter to Carney Friday, Stiles urged him not to approve the move.

“Prime Minister, I implore you to stand up for the democratic rights of the members of this community,” she wrote. “Along with residents of the immediate downtown neighbourhoods who will be severely impacted by whatever the Premier decides he wants to do with the Islands and the Island Airport expansion, there are millions of Toronto and GTA families that turn to our beautiful islands for their clean air, beaches, and public parks.”

The prime minister’s office referred inquiries about Stile’s letter to federal Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon.

“Any future decisions concerning the operating environment of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will require the consensus of all signatories to the Tripartite Agreement, the lease agreement that governs the operations of the airport,” MacKinnon’s office said in an email to CP24.com.

“The federal government will continue working with all parties to ensure that strong standards for safety, environmental protection, noise and community impact are upheld for any future proposals.”

Separately, city councillor Josh Matlow called on Sarkaria this week to play ball with a downtown baseball league at Little Norway Park, a section of which is being taken over by the province as part of its plans.

Sarkaria did not directly address the invitation, but reiterated that the government plans to leave Little Norway as a park.

“All the pieces of land that we have identified as part of expropriation, we’re going to move immediately on those to survey them, give what we don’t need back to the city, but little Norway Park will remain a park,” Sarkaria said.