Margaret Atwood and prominent Canadians urge federal government to halt Toronto island airport expansion
More than two dozen prominent figures, including author Margaret Atwood and former Ontario Premier Bob Rae, have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney opposing the expansion of Billy Bishop airport on Toronto Island. The letter calls for detailed evidence-based planning and full public disclosure before consultations conclude, warning that major infrastructure changes would be irreversible. The issue centers on federal authority over aviation and the agreement governing the airport, with the Ontario government having already passed legislation to take control and bypass municipal oversight.
A coalition of prominent Canadians, including author Margaret Atwood, former Premier Bob Rae, and Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Hayley Wickenheiser, has publicly opposed the expansion of Billy Bishop airport through an open letter to the prime minister. The letter emphasizes that large infrastructure decisions shape cities for generations and calls for an "evidence-based, long-term plan" with full disclosure of trade-offs, costs, timelines, and public uses that would be sacrificed. The federal government has launched public consultations on whether to expand the runway to accommodate larger aircraft. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has already passed legislation giving the province control of the airport and expropriation powers over Toronto Island, with plans to designate the area a special economic zone to expedite construction. Ford has cited internal polling showing over 70 percent support but has not publicly released the polling data or methodology. The letter argues that the federal government, which controls aviation and the airport agreement, must retain decision-making authority rather than ceding it to the provincial government.
What's missing
The specific environmental impacts of the expansion (noise, emissions, ecological effects on Toronto Island) are not detailed in the article, nor are the economic projections or job creation estimates cited by expansion proponents.
What different sources said
- Global News CanadaCenter
Margaret Atwood joins chorus of figures opposing Toronto island airport expansion
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