Toronto island airport expansion would lead to severe traffic, committee hears

TORONTO — Toronto’s waterfront secretariat says the province’s plans to redevelop Ontario Place and expand the airport on the Toronto Islands will create severe traffic and transit congestion and could lead to degradation of the water quality in the harbour.

The comments were made today in a committee hearing on the government’s proposed legislation that would allow the province to take over the City of Toronto’s role in Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

Premier Doug Ford is pushing for an expansion of the airport that would allow jets to land and take off with a goal to increase service to 10 million passengers per year, up from two million a year.

The committee heard the province does not have a business plan nor has it conducted any health or environmental studies on its expansion plans.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says the airport expansion is a nation-building project that will boost the economy and provide more choice to passengers.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has called the move a land grab without consulting Torontonians.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2026.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press