Chow pens urgent motion to stop Ford's 'land grab'
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is pushing for the provincial government to return expropriated lands intended for a controversial Billy Bishop airport expansion. The federal government has rejected the expansion plans, leading the city to demand the repeal of Bill 110.
Why it matters
The dispute illustrates a significant jurisdictional conflict between municipal, provincial, and federal governments regarding urban planning and public land use.
After the federal government rejected Doug Ford’s plan to expand Billy Bishop airport, Mayor Olivia Chow is now asking the province to return expropriated airport lands back to the City, including Toronto Islands and Little Norway Park.
Chow penned an urgent motion to City Council on Monday to “stop the province’s land grab” and “give back” the City’s waterfront.
“Since the province first announced their desire to expand the Island airport, we have demanded to see the plans and worked to understand the potential impact it would have on our city,” the motion reads.
While an official plan was never released to the public, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA), which jointly operates the airport under a tripartite agreement with the City of Toronto and Transport Canada, stated that an expansion would likely cost between $4 and $5 billion, with construction lasting approximately 25 years.
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