Toronto City Council votes to extend Billy Bishop Airports lease [Video]

Toronto City Council has voted in favour of extending Billy Bishop Airport’s lease by up to 12 years as part of the runway extension plan.

During Wednesday’s council meeting, Mayor Olivia Chow introduced a motion to move the end date of PortsToronto’s lease to operate the island airport from 2033 to no later than Dec. 2045 so it can secure funding to modify the runway to meet federal safety requirements.

The mayor’s motion passed by a vote of 17 to 8. PortsToronto asked that its lease be extended by 40 years through 2073, but city staff was against it.

Councillors also opted for city staff’s recommended plan to extend Billy Bishop Airport’s runway.

PortsToronto is facing a federal regulatory deadline of July 12, 2027 to have a Runway Safety End Area (RESA) at the airport. In 2021, Transport Canada mandated airports have at least 150 metres of safety length at the end of every runway serving commercial flights to prevent …