Item - 2026.MM41.24

Councillor Dianne Saxe, seconded by Councillor Josh Matlow, recommends that:

1. City Council request the Government of Ontario to amend the Municipal Elections Act to authorize the City Clerk to include the following question on the municipal ballot October 26, 2026:

Do you want the City of Toronto to support and cooperate in Premier Ford’s plan to turn Billy Bishop airport into a jet airport?

2. City Council direct the City Clerk to include the following question on the municipal ballot October 26, 2026, if the Municipal Elections Act is amended to authorize it:

Do you want the City of Toronto to support and cooperate in Premier Ford’s plan to turn Billy Bishop airport into a jet airport?

In March 2026, the provincial government announced its intention to introduce legislation to seize the City of Toronto’s land and other rights in the Toronto Island Billy Bishop Airport, in order to create a jet airport that could handle 10 million flights a year.

Bill 110, Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026 was introduced in the Ontario Legislature on April 23.

The exact plan for the jet airport is unclear, but current evidence suggests it could have transformative impacts on Toronto, many of them conflicting with city objectives and initiatives. The jet airport plan could mean, for example:

• multiplying the number of flights from the airport;
• worsening downtown and waterfront noise, traffic and congestion;
• turning all or part of Little Norway Park into a parking lot;
• closing all or part of Hanlan’s Point and its clothing optional beach;
• shutting the Hanlan’s Point ferry dock;
• increasing cancer rates for those living near the airport through toxic air pollution;
• increasing water pollution in the Toronto Harbour by reducing natural flushing;
• eliminating or reducing recreational boating in the Toronto Harbour due to runway construction, a larger marine exclusion zone, water pollution, air pollution and jet blast;
• making it less pleasant to live on or visit the Toronto Islands and Toronto’s waterfront, thus damaging Toronto’s top tourist attractions, and reducing the business case for the new electric ferries;
• damaging downtown and waterfront businesses that depend on tourism;
• reducing the value of homes and other property near the waterfront, and therefore city tax revenue;
• making the existing airport more congested and more cumbersome to use for travellers;
• increasing climate pollution contrary to TransformTO;
• and other impacts.

There is no clear business case for the expansion, and no explanation of how it would interact with Premier Ford’s plan to fill in part of Toronto’s harbour for a convention centre, or the large spa that the province is building at Ontario Place, or Council’s plans to develop a new neighbourhood, including affordable homes, in the East Waterfront.

Premier Ford did not obtain a public mandate for this jet airport plan in the last election, as he did not propose the idea during the election.

This airport plan cannot take place without the consent of the federal government, which has given its commitment that no decision will be made without consulting the people of Toronto. City Council must also decide whether to cooperate with the airport jet plan and whether to stop spending time and money on city plans and priorities that conflict with the airport jet plan.

The people of Toronto should have a say in such a major change to the future of our city. They should therefore be asked if they want the city to support Premier Ford’s jet airport plan on the municipal ballot October 26, under s. 8 of the Municipal Elections Act. There is very little cost to adding a ballot question to the scheduled municipal ballot.

S. 8.1(1) of the Municipal Elections Act requires that a bylaw to submit a question to the electors must be passed on or before March 1 of the election year, after giving public notice and holding a public meeting. Premier Ford’s jet airport plan was not announced in time for Toronto Council to meet those deadlines.

Premier Ford has declared himself a premier “For the People” and therefore should allow the people of Toronto a say on this major proposal, by amending the Municipal Elections Act deadlines to permit this ballot question.