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LILLEY: Doug Ford's island airport, convention centre plan would bring life to Toronto waterfront

Premier tells 'squatters' on the island who might object to his vision that their time is up

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Premier Doug Ford clearly has a vision for Toronto’s waterfront. After musing about putting a new convention centre there last week, Ford went on a rant Monday about expanding the Billy Bishop airport and not caring about squatters who live on the Toronto Islands.

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If Ford has his way, it looks like a new state-of-the-art convention centre will be built near his revitalized Ontario Place and jets carrying millions of convention goers will be landing at Billy Bishop.

LILLEY: Doug Ford's island airport, convention centre plan would bring life to Toronto waterfront Back to video

“We need a world-class convention centre as well,” Ford said, noting that Toronto is being passed over for conventions.

“We’re losing millions of people coming for conventions. They aren’t even looking at Toronto anymore.”

Premier’s mood is build, baby, build!

Ford was colourful in describing the frustration of attending events at the current Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Front St.

“We’ve all been in it, you’re going up, you’re going down, you’re going up, you’re going sideways across the road. Doesn’t cut it,” Ford said about the disjointed and frustrating facility.

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“We’re going to build a spectacular, world-class venue that we’re going to be able to go out there and sell to the world, and we’re going from last place to first place, and it’s going to create billions of dollars of economic growth.”

From announcing that a convention centre is going to be built, Ford turned to announcing that Billy Bishop airport on the waterfront would be expanded.

Jets are coming to island airport

“We’re also expanding the airport,” Ford said. “That’s a crown jewel. And we’re going to be taking the load off Pearson, being competitive with Pearson, lowering costs and more convenient for people, not to mention a couple of thousand additional high-paying, great-paying jobs.”

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is operated as a Crown agency of the province, which is why the premier is getting involved. As for the airport, the province, the city and the federal government all have a say under the tripartite agreement.

Ford said that unlike the Justin Trudeau government, the Mark Carney Liberals will soon sign off on extending the runway, expanding the airport and allowing jets to land.

Mayor Olivia Chow has long opposed expanding Billy Bishop airport and has even worked to have it shut down in the past. Ford has indicated that she’s now ready to get on board.

Toronto Islands residents ‘squatters’

When it was pointed out to the premier that residents of the Toronto Islands would be upset at more plane traffic coming in, Ford went off again.

“I don’t want to be rude, folks, there’s 260 squatters on the island that are paying $1 a year for 99 years,” he said.

Land on the Toronto Islands isn’t as cheap at $1 a year on a lease but it is a sweetheart deal, is very exclusive, and the entitled residents of the Islands have been coddled for far too long. In addition to their low lease rates for land, island residents pay an average of just $1,530 in property taxes each year, far lower than anyone in the main part of the city.

“We’re going to move forward with the island airport, with cooperation with the federal government. And I know Mayor Chow wants to expand it. She may disagree with the jets, but those jets are coming in there one way or another,” Ford said.

“You know, we did a poll — 70% of the people want that island airport expanded. Simple as that, we’re listening to the people.”

In 2024, Toronto’s business community grew alarmed when city staff mused about turning the airport into park land if the lease wasn’t renewed. The airport is an economic engine for the downtown core and expanding it to allow quieter, more fuel-efficient jets should be welcomed, but instead has been fiercely fought for years.

Ford’s vision of a revamped Ontario Place, a new convention centre and an expanded airport would bring life back to the west end of Toronto’s waterfront and have it serve a purpose greater than something to look at as drivers are stuck on the Gardiner during their commute.

blilley@postmedia.com

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