After greater than a half century in limbo, the federal authorities has deserted plans for an airport at a web site in Pickering, Ont., and can as an alternative look to develop the world’s city nationwide park.
After greater than a half century in limbo, the federal authorities has deserted plans for an airport at a web site in Pickering, Ont., and can as an alternative look to develop the world’s city nationwide park.
Transport Minister Anita Anand stated the federal government had determined towards turning the Pickering lands into an airport and would as an alternative switch the “overwhelming majority” of it to Parks Canada with the intent to develop the Rouge Nationwide City Park.
“Our objective is to make sure this house advantages everybody at present, and for generations to return,” she stated on Monday. Anand was certainly one of 4 cupboard ministers to attend the announcement.
A battle over the way forward for the land has brewed since no less than 1972 when Pierre Trudeau’s authorities expropriated about 18,600 acres for a doable airport web site. The transfer sparked protest, and the federal government put the plans on maintain three years later in favour of increasing the province’s already-built airports.
At Monday’s announcement, an area Liberal MP credited conservation group Land Over Landings for its long-standing advocacy towards the airport and for the safety of the land.
“This work continues to make sure the way forward for these lands replicate our shared imaginative and prescient. However lastly, after 50 years, a menace of an airport is over and our future is brilliant,” stated Jennifer O’Connell, MP for Pickering-Uxbridge.
Pickering metropolis council voted in 2023 to withdraw its help for the airport plan. It cited a Transport Canada-commissioned report that concluded southern Ontario wouldn’t want a brand new airport earlier than 2036.
The one vote towards the movement was solid by Mayor Kevin Ashe, who prompt the airport can be a serious financial driver to assist help town’s projected inhabitants growth.
The mayor didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Previously decade, the federal government has transferred greater than half the Pickering land to Parks Canada for the creation after which the growth of the Rouge Nationwide City Park.
However Transport Canada held on to about 8,700 acres of the land for a possible future airport. The federal government says properties have since been leased to residential, farm and industrial tenants.
Nearly all of the lands are agricultural and span an space throughout Pickering, Markham and Uxbridge. The realm overlaps elements of Ontario’s protected Greenbelt and is the standard and treaty lands of the First Nations who signed the Williams Treaty.
Consultations can be held with the general public, Indigenous communities and the tenants within the “coming weeks” to find out future use of the lands, the federal government stated.
“We need to get occurring the consultations. There is not any time to waste,” Anand stated.
The land not transferred to Parks Canada will stick with Transport Canada and bear one other session on future makes use of, a spokesperson for Anand stated.
Anand stated she expects the remaining land that falls inside Ontario’s Greenbelt can be protected.
Transport Canada and the minister’s workplace didn’t reply to questions in regards to the consequence of the division’s 2023 request for proposal to review airport capability wants in southern Ontario.
A division information launch on the time stated the research would mark the “first step” towards a closing choice on future airport capability constraints and on the way forward for the Pickering lands.
At Monday’s announcement, Anand stated Toronto Pearson Airport and the Billy Bishop Toronto Metropolis Airport have been “extraordinarily vital hubs.”
The federal government can be set to spend $21 million to construct a brand new customer, studying and neighborhood centre on the Rouge Nationwide City Park. It says the park is about an hour’s drive from 20 per cent of Canada’s inhabitants and is accessible by public transit.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 27, 2025.
Jordan Omstead, The Canadian Press
