Ontario Premier Doug Ford plans to seize land from Toronto to expand runways at Billy Bishop Airport and allow jets.CARLOS OSORIO/Reuters
When a newly re-elected Donald Trump started threatening Canada with punitive tariffs, Ontario Premier Doug Ford stepped up. To see an ally treat us like that, he said, was “like a family member stabbing you right in the heart.” Over the months that followed, Mr. Ford continued to be a vigorous and outspoken advocate for Canada.
And yet there has always been something more than a little Trumpian about Mr. Ford’s approach to politics. He attacks the news media for asking routine questions. He rants about judges after rulings that cramp his style. He has little time for rules or agreements. If something gets in his way, he puts on his stomping boots.
Just look at how he has treated Toronto. One of the first things he did after coming to office in 2018 was cut the size of Toronto city council in half – a pointless act that looked a lot like revenge for the way it had sidelined his wayward brother Rob years before.
Since then he has brushed aside the views of Mayor Olivia Chow and many councillors by banning speed cameras meant to keep streets safer and trying to rip out bicycle lanes installed with the same purpose. While his plan to remake Ontario Place on Toronto’s waterfront is better than its critics argue, he plowed right over the mayor’s objections.
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His latest power move also involves the waterfront. Mr. Ford is keen to see Toronto’s Billy Bishop island airport expand to accommodate jets. Only smaller turboprops can use the airport at present. Ms. Chow thinks that is as it should be. She has argued for many years that jet traffic could threaten Toronto’s plans to make the waterfront a better place for people to live and play.
But Mr. Ford says the airport is a key economic asset and should be allowed to grow, taking pressure off Pearson, the main airport serving the city, and giving travellers the option of grabbing more flights just minutes from the core.
To that end, he declared this week, he plans to seize control of Billy Bishop, using his power of expropriation to take the land from the city (while paying city hall some compensation for the resulting loss of revenue). “This is a crown jewel,” he said.
He is right about that, at least. The island airport has proved its worth over the years. It helped launch Porter Airlines, giving Air Canada a run for its money and fuelling healthy competition in the skies. It boosted the growth and vibrancy of Toronto’s thriving downtown.
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Since a modern tunnel opened to take passengers to the terminal, the airport has been a pleasure to use, much more manageable than sprawling Pearson. The planes swooping in and out give the waterfront a big-city feel and the noise they make is hardly noticeable amid the ordinary din. Modern jets, cleaner and quieter than ever, may not be as bad as Ms. Chow fears.
But there are legitimate questions to be asked before jets are approved. Can the cramped parking and arrivals area on the city side cope with the increased traffic? Would extending the runways interfere with boats and ferries – or simply ruin the feel of the harbour (which is now mainly a recreational, not an industrial, space)?
Toronto and its residents deserve their say. As a statement from the mayor’s office put it, the decision “must be made through a thorough analysis of all the facts and input from Torontonians to ensure the best possible outcome.” The municipal election scheduled for this coming fall would be a good time to talk through the issues.
Perhaps that is why Mr. Ford is planning to grab the airport now: to make jets a fait accompli before an election campaign that could allow opposition to build. Whatever the reason, the move has a my-way-or-the-highway feel that is typical of his dealings with Canada’s biggest city.
Ms. Chow, he said, may disagree with jets, “but those jets are coming in there, one way or another.” Does that sound like anyone you know?