The original agreement was signed in June 1983, between the city, Transport Canada, and Ports Toronto.<\/p>\n
Assuming the municipal government\u2019s place would mean the province would have 20 per cent governance over the land, as well as one-third of Little Norway Park, which is adjacent to the airport terminal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This motion comes as part of the provincial government\u2019s plan to expand the airport<\/a> and its capacity, and follows Premier Doug Ford\u2019s recent purchase and return of a private jet<\/a>.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n After taking over the city\u2019s part of the agreement, the province hopes to buy ownership of the airport\u2019s city-owned lands, and extend the runway, although no specific plans for this were provided.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re unlocking Billy Bishop Airport\u2019s full potential by expanding the airport so we can bring cheaper flight options, more routes and more convenience to the millions of people from across Ontario who use this airport every year,\u201d Ford said in the media release.<\/p>\n He added this would take pressure off of Toronto Pearson International Airport, and enrich tourism in the city.<\/p>\n Push back from the city<\/p>\n Later on Thursday, Mayor Olivia Chow pushed an urgent motion at a City of Toronto council meeting, to push back against the initial provincial motion.<\/p>\n \u201cUnilaterally taking city land is not acceptable,\u201d Chow wrote in an X (formerly Twitter) post on Thursday. \u201cWho knows what they will take next.\u201d<\/p>\n The Province has introduced legislation to unilaterally take City land at Bathurst and Queen’s Quay. That includes paving over Little Norway Park \u2013 probably for a parking lot.<\/p>\n Council is meeting today, I am bringing an urgent motion to oppose it and fight back. Unilaterally\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/WunwtACqnn<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mayor Olivia Chow \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@MayorOliviaChow) April 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Chow also added that the city was not consulted beforehand about the province\u2019s motion to take over the land.<\/p>\n The urgent motion called for the federal government to stop the premier\u2019s \u201cland grab\u201d. Additionally, the city asked the province to change their plan so that all residents within 500 metres of the impacted land be moved at province\u2019s expense, alongside an apology for disrupting the balance of their community.<\/p>\n The mayor\u2019s motion was passed on Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n As of now, the Ontario government\u2019s proposed Building Billy Bishop Airport Act will proceed through the legislature, although the city is looking into directing the city\u2019s solicitor to explore legal options and action against the provincial government to keep the measure from moving forward.<\/p>\n Toronto reaction<\/p>\n Many other councillors also spoke out against the idea.<\/p>\n Ontario\u2019s New Democratic Party (NDP) Leader Marit Stiles said Ford\u2019s plan was \u201creckless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis reckless airport expansion and land grab puts the future of the Toronto Islands at risk, and leaves downtown residents in harm\u2019s way,\u201d she wrote on X. \u201cWho is asking for this? Certainly not the residents of Toronto\u2019s waterfront and neighbourhoods along Lake Ontario.\u201d<\/p>\n Kristyn Wong-Tam, the NDP Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Toronto Centre, was also against the motion, telling residents to act.<\/p>\n \u201cThe province is not a signatory to the tripartite agreement over the airport. It\u2019s owned two thirds by the feds and one third by the city,\u201d they said. \u201cCall your Liberal MP and tell them to help us stop Ford from paving over the lake and green space!\u201d<\/p>\n Councilor Josh Matlow said he also moved a motion that calls for a review of Ford trying to gain governance over Little Norway Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an unprecedented attack by the province on our city\u2019s autonomy,\u201d Matlow wrote on X.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot stand by and allow our parks to become busy roads or parking lots, all for Ford\u2019s waterfront airport expansion.\u201d<\/p>\n Doug Ford wants to take control of Billy Bishop airport and its surrounding land, despite the fact that they are under the jurisdiction of the city of Toronto.<\/p>\n This is undoing democracy.@fordnation<\/a> shouldn\u2019t be taking over Toronto land for no good reason. He\u2019s not the Premier\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/Td6O5Uu5JY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ontario Liberal Party | Parti Lib\u00e9ral de l’Ontario (@OntLiberal) April 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s out for himself and wealthy, well-connected insiders \u2013 not the people of Ontario,\u201d Mike Schreiner, leader of the Ontario Green Party, said.<\/p>\n Many Torontonians are reacting following the busy council day on Thursday, with posts throughout social media platforms speaking out against Ford.<\/p>\n \u201cJust leave Toronto alone,\u201d one Reddit user wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s hell bent on ruining Toronto with the hare-brained scheme at Billy Bishop,\u201d an X user said.<\/p>\n![\"YouTube](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1777057087_997_hqdefault.jpg\"\/)
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