ONTARIO-The Ontario government is moving to take over the City of Toronto’s place in the tripartite agreement that governs Billy Bishop Airport, as well as take ownership of the city-owned lands in the airport in exchange for fair compensation.
Officials say by expanding capacity at Billy Bishop Airport, the province will help meet future demand in southern Ontario, reduce pressure at Toronto Pearson International Airport, increase competition in the air travel sector to support more routes and cheaper flights, and support the creation of good-paying jobs in Ontario’s aviation, tourism and construction sectors.
“We’re unlocking Billy Bishop Airport’s full potential by expanding the airport so we can bring cheaper flight options, more routes and more convenience to the millions of people from across Ontario who use this airport every year,” said Premier Doug Ford. “With an upgraded airport on the waterfront, Toronto and Ontario will be able to compete with world-class cities across the globe, supporting tourism and business travel across Ontario and creating thousands of new jobs for Ontario workers.”
The province intends to introduce legislation in the Ontario Legislature’s upcoming spring session that would, if passed, take ownership of the city-owned land at the airport and facilitate the city’s replacement by the province in the tripartite agreement. Ahead of the start of construction on the airport’s expansion, and following consultation with impacted First Nations, the province also intends to declare Billy Bishop Airport a Special Economic Zone. This would speed up the expansion of the airport by streamlining approvals, while maintaining robust safety and environmental protections. The province says it has engaged with more than 130 First Nations regarding the development of a regulatory framework for Special Economic Zones and will continue to fully meet its duty to consult with Indigenous communities moving forward.
“With Ontario’s population expected to grow to more than 20.5 million by 2051, including significant growth across the Greater Toronto Area, it’s critical that we build the infrastructure needed to support that growth and keep people and goods moving,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Billy Bishop Airport is an important and underused part of Ontario’s transportation network, and additional capacity will help meet future demand, strengthen connectivity and support jobs across Ontario.”
Billy Bishop Airport serves approximately two million passengers each year and connects Toronto to more than 20 cities across Canada and the United States. It is also a major economic driver for the province, contributing $900 million in GDP and $1.8 billion in economic output each year, while supporting 9,000 jobs in 2024.
The Toronto Port Authority has proposed a modernization plan for Billy Bishop Airport that includes updates to the tripartite agreement to allow for modern jet aircraft, changes to the runway to accommodate modern aircraft, enhancements to the terminal building and improved access to Toronto’s waterfront. Once fully expanded, the Toronto Port Authority estimates the airport’s activities will contribute up to $8.5 billion to Canada’s economy every year by 2050 and support up to 23,000 jobs in Ontario’s construction sector alone.
“Billy Bishop Airport is a vital transportation hub not just for Toronto but for Ontario and all of Canada,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance. “Today’s announcement is another step towards our government making Ontario the most competitive jurisdiction in the entire G7 by attracting investment, encouraging economic growth and supporting job creation in the province.”
Billy Bishop Airport is the province’s third-busiest airport and an important hub for regional travel and essential services such as Ornge, which provides more than 4,700 provincewide air ambulance and medical transport flights from the airport annually.
