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Read the latest stories, updates and news releases about community science, water monitoring, and more.
Waterkeeper submits formal comment on Toronto Island Airport Expansion
Waterkeeper recommends that the City of Toronto defer its decision to approve the airport expansion. Without environmental assessment, permits, proof that environmental harm will not occur, and adequate public consultation, the City’s permission is premature. The consequences of making a rushed decision are significant and potentially irreversible harm to public resources; those consequences outweigh any perceived private benefits of the project.
Island Airport Expansion is premature, Waterkeeper tells city
Two City of Toronto committees are meeting to review Porter Airline’s island airport expansion proposal. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is appearing before both committees to caution the city against hasty decision-making when the stakes - the future of our waterfront - are so high. Here is the text of our oral submission to the Subcommittee to Review Billy Bishop Airport Consultants Reports.
Our main conclusion is this: decisions made in the name of “convenience” alone can cost the city millions of dollars and significant lost opportunity. Therefore, a decision on the airport expansion requires legal oversight through Environmental Assessments and permit applications. And this is a good thing: following legal processes now can avoid political headaches and costly mistakes later.
Lake Ontario Waterkeeper comments on Review of Toronto Port Authority Terms of Reference
Systemic problems with the Toronto Port Authority and the legislation that governs it have created problems on the Toronto waterfront and for the city as a whole. Read our analysis for more information.
Waterkeeper comments on the proposal to ban a bridge to Toronto Islands
The "fixed link issue" is about much more than merely building a bridge to an island. As Waterkeeper noted in our comments during the environmental assessment, to build the link is to fortify the TCCA?s foothold on toronto's waterfront. The EA process did little to justify the continued operations of an airport in our harbour, which was the real crux of the issue.
Urgent Request to Minister of Transport
In Fall 2003, there was much confusion surrounding the future of the bridge to the Toronto Island Airport. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper sent this urgent letter to the Minister of Transportation requesting clarification.
Clarification regarding outstanding approvals for construction of Fixed Link
To our knowledge, the Tripartite Agreement still prohibits the construction of a fixed link and the Toronto Port Authority has not yet provided the stormwater treatment plan requested by the City of Toronto in its conditional approval of the project.
Island airport petition seeks clarity for assessment process
The questions outlined in the petition below deal with the ongoing environmental assessment for the construction of a fixed link to the Toronto Island Airport. The agencies identified above have been involved with the project in some capacity since the first screening report was prepared in 1999.
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