Carney signals Billy Bishop consultation this summer

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday a federal public consultation on Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport's potential runway expansion will take place over the summer, and that he has not yet formed an opinion on the project.

Speaking at a news conference in Toronto, Carney acknowledged the expansion involves competing concerns: transportation, economics, neighbourhood quality of life, environment, and parks. "What's important is that there's adequate consultation with affected residents, the broader City of Toronto," he said.

The airport is governed by a tripartite agreement involving the Toronto Port Authority, the federal government, and the Province of Ontario, which recently took over the City's stake in the facility. Liberal MP Chi Nguyen, whose riding encompasses the airport, said Wednesday that any decision "will not be made without Toronto residents having their voices heard."

Carney did not provide details on the consultation's scope or timeline beyond confirming it would happen this summer.