Island Airport Expansion Could Cost $5 Billion
Toronto Port Authority says Billy Bishop expansion will run $4-5B over 25 years as provincial hearings begin on the polarizing development plan.
The Toronto Port Authority dropped a significant price tag on the proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport this week: somewhere between $4 billion and $5 billion over the next 25 years.
Port Authority CEO RJ Steenstra told a Queen's Park committee that the project would require substantial investment to expand the island airport's capacity and infrastructure. The government held its first day of hearings on Bill 110, introduced in late April, which would clear the path for the expansion.
The figure matters because it arrives at a moment when Toronto residents are already wrestling with the public cost of hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A Parliamentary Budget Officer report released this week pegged that bill at over $1 billion across all levels of government — roughly $82 million per game. Adding a multi-billion airport expansion to the city's infrastructure burden raises hard questions about priorities and who pays.
Support for Billy Bishop expansion has been mixed. Travellers and business leaders see efficiency gains; residents in surrounding neighborhoods worry about noise, congestion, and environmental impact. The hearings will likely surface both camps in force.
The project's final cost will depend on which infrastructure components get approved and built first. Whatever emerges from the provincial review will reshape how the island airport functions for decades.