Ontario Construction Report staff writer
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government has no plans to build on a portion of waterfront parkland that could be expropriated under proposed legislation tied to a potential expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
The bill, currently before the legislature, would give the province authority to assume control from the City of Toronto over the airport as part of a broader push to accommodate jet aircraft — a move that would require significant airside and landside construction, including runway upgrades and terminal improvements.
As drafted, the legislation would also permit the province to appropriate roughly one-third of Little Norway Park, a site that includes recreational amenities such as a baseball diamond, walking paths and a playground, and which sits on land formerly used as a Second World War training base for the Norwegian Air Force.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has criticized the proposal, calling it a unilateral move to seize municipal land without consultation and warning against the loss of public green space.
Ford, speaking Monday, said the province will not move forward with any plans to develop the parkland, despite the authority outlined in the legislation.
According to provincial materials, the proposed expansion would involve a broader modernization program at the airport, potentially including runway modifications to accommodate larger aircraft, upgrades to terminal facilities and related waterfront infrastructure. Such work could entail complex marine construction and phased civil works along Toronto’s shoreline.
The government has also said it does not intend to assume control of the entire Toronto Islands, even though such powers are included in the bill.
Ford, speaking Monday, said the province will not move forward with any plans to develop the parkland, despite the authority outlined in the legislation. The government has also indicated it does not intend to assume control of the entire Toronto Islands, even though such powers are included in the bill.