A glimmer of hope for ‘dead’ island airport

Port authority studies give Porter’s proposal for jets the appearance of a pulse

To the consternation of some Toronto councillors, and the delight of others, Porter Airlines’ campaign for jets at the island airport retains the faintest hint of life.

Transportation Minister Marc Garneau seemed to definitively kill the controversial proposal last week when he said the Trudeau government will not reopen the tripartite agreement that governs uses at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

The agreement is scheduled to remain in effect until 2033. To make any changes, including allowing jet service, the city, Transport Canada and the Toronto port authority, known as PortsToronto, must all agree.

But PortsToronto, which reports to Transport Canada, continues to put finishing touches on an environmental assessment and two studies on the question of jets requested by city council in April 2014.

The agency plans to submit the finished studies to council early in the New Year, giving the jets proposal at least the appearance of life — a governmental version of The Walking Dead.

“Work continues on the three studies that were requested of PortsToronto by city council,” the agency’s vice-president of communications, Deborah Wilson, said in an email Monday.

“To date we have received no direct communication from the Minister, or other representative of the federal government, regarding how the government would like to proceed in this matter and no communication from Toronto city council that would indicate that the studies are no longer required or that the results are no longer important to its process, constituents and understanding of the airport.”

Councillor Joe Cressy, a staunch jets opponent, said “the issue is dead on arrival.” He questioned PortsToronto, funded through harbour and airport fees, continuing studies estimated to have already cost $4 million.

“It is a complete waste of time and money, there is no reason our city staff should spend time and resourc- es evaluating studies for a proposal that cannot proceed,” said Cressy, whose Ward 20 (Trinity Spadina) includes the airport.

“The endless debate of jets at the island airport is behind us, and it’s time for the port authority to recognize that and move on.”

Spadina—Fort York Liberal MP Adam Vaughn, who led the charge against jets on city council and now in Ottawa, said in a text: “PortsToronto is free to study and fund reports,” but his government’s no-jets stance is clear.

“The reports are focused on making a case for jets. There is more to the waterfront than the proposal to fill in the lake for a single business proposition.”

To Councillor Jim Karygiannis, however, ongoing studies mean city council should have a chance to debate them and make the case to Ottawa and Torontonians for downtown jet service to U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Miami.

“The citizens of Toronto have not been heard on this,” said Karygiannis (Ward 39, Scarborough Agincourt), a former Liberal MP. “This debate is not dead, and if it dies a lot of Liberal MPs will have to answer to their constituents.”

Last week, Councillor Norm Kelly (Ward 40 Scarborough-Agincourt), another jets proponent and also a former Liberal MP, said of Garneau’s pronouncement:

“This (move) doesn’t rest easy with me. I do not accept it. I think this is just the beginning of the debate, not the end.” With files from Vanessa Lu