Ontario takes control of Billy Bishop airport expansion

Ontario has taken a major step toward expanding Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, passing legislation Thursday that strips the city of its governing role and gives the province full control over the island airport's land.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says the government plans to designate the airport a special economic zone — a designation that lets the province suspend provincial and municipal laws to speed up development. The goal is aggressive: expanding from two million passengers a year to ten million by building longer runways that allow jets to land and take off.

The province previously passed controversial legislation granting cabinet the power to create special economic zones with sweeping exemptions from red tape. Now that power is being used here.

The move yanks Toronto's seat at the table. The airport has been governed by a tripartite agreement between the city, the federal government, and the Toronto Port Authority (a federal agency). The Port Authority supports the expansion. Ottawa has remained publicly silent, though it has not outright rejected the plan.

Mayor Olivia Chow called the takeover a land grab conducted without meaningful consultation. City council voted against a referendum on the expansion plans. But the legislation passed anyway.

The province said it won't seize the entire Toronto Islands despite the language in the bill, and will coordinate with the city on what land is actually needed. The federal government is expected to weigh in as appeals proceed.