Statement on Billy Bishop Airport Expansion

I do not believe Toronto needs to choose between economic growth and protecting our waterfront. We can achieve both.

The debate over expanding Billy Bishop Airport has focused on adding more flights to an airport that is physically constrained, surrounded by established neighbourhoods, and located on one of Toronto’s most valuable public waterfronts. I believe we should be asking a different question: why aren’t we fully utilizing the infrastructure we already have?

Parliament passed Bill C-5 to accelerate projects that are in Canada’s national interest through the new Major Projects Office. That legislation was designed to help Canada build the infrastructure our economy needs more quickly.

If we are serious about strengthening Canada’s aviation system, then Pearson International Airport should be at the front of the line for consideration as a nationally significant project.

Pearson already has five runways. The opportunity is not to build another airport in downtown Toronto—it is to maximize the capacity of the airport we already have. By expanding and modernizing passenger terminals, cargo facilities, logistics infrastructure, and ground transportation connections, Pearson can accommodate far more passengers and freight without placing additional pressure on Toronto’s waterfront communities.

That is the smarter investment.

Instead of spending years debating whether to expand Billy Bishop, the federal government can work through the Major Projects Office to unlock the full potential of Pearson. Doing so would strengthen Canada’s largest airport, improve our international competitiveness, create thousands of jobs, increase cargo capacity, and support economic growth across the Greater Toronto Area.

In my view, once Pearson reaches the full potential of its existing five-runway system, the case for expanding Billy Bishop becomes significantly weaker.

Billy Bishop should continue serving the role it performs well today: providing convenient regional and business connectivity. Pearson should be Canada’s primary international aviation hub.

This is not about saying “no” to growth.

It is about directing growth to the place where it delivers the greatest economic benefit with the least impact on surrounding communities.

We have a new federal tool in Bill C-5 that was specifically designed to accelerate nation-building infrastructure. Let’s use it where it will have the greatest impact; for Pearson Airport, for Canada’s economy, and for Toronto’s future.