Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles is reaching out to Prime Minister Mark Carney, asking him to stop the Ford government’s plans for Billy Bishop Airport, claiming he is the “only one who can stop this expansion.”
This recent letter follows a similar request made last month where Stiles pointed out that it wasn’t favored in Toronto and lacked a solid business case to back it up.
The idea for expanding Billy Bishop was first introduced by Premier Doug Ford at the end of February during a Toronto Region Board of Trade event where he expressed his desire for the island airport to accommodate jets.
Since then, the Ford government has introduced legislation aimed at taking control of part of the airport from the city and granting itself expropriation powers over large areas of the island and waterfront.
They have also indicated plans to use these new powers to classify the area as a special economic zone, allowing them to bypass local and provincial regulations.
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“The implementation of this legislation will rip a beloved space from the public,” Stiles wrote in her letter to Carney.
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Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won’t miss a trending story. “Residents of downtown neighborhoods will be seriously affected by whatever Premier Ford decides regarding the Toronto Islands and the Billy Bishop Airport expansion. Toronto will experience more traffic and worse congestion in one of Canada’s busiest areas.” Stiles told reporters she believed that Prime Minister should step in to halt the province’s plan – something he can do since he is part of the tripartite agreement governing the airport. “They hold most of the votes within this tripartite agreement and he needs to leverage that power right now,” she said. Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner expressed his support for Stiles’ request. More on Canada More videos “The federal government should intervene regarding Billy Bishop,” he stated. “I urge every federal MP, especially those in Toronto, to oppose this.” The Prime Minister’s Office did not respond directly to questions from ; however, a spokesperson for the federal Minister of Transport provided a statement. “We will work closely with Ontario and our partners on Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to ensure we develop a modern and sustainable transportation system,” they stated. Story continues below “We will support long-term success for the airport while making sure vital air connections stay prioritized.” Diving into question period on Monday, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria defended their initiative. “Leaders across this country are discussing nation-building projects,” he noted. “We’re presenting projects like Billy Bishop airport that aim to change how we compete globally… Billy Bishop will help bolster that effort and enhance our competitiveness worldwide.” & copy 2026 , a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.Source link
