Deputation regarding the proposed Toronto Island Airport Expansion


Miriam Garfinkle
December 2013

I believe that the serious health and safety impacts and risks arising from this continually expanding airport are a paramount concern.

These health and safety issues should not be an afterthought.

It is regrettable that the health study was so rushed to fit into the timeframe imposed by Porter.

It is also disturbing that some individuals in positions of authority made up their minds in favour of expansion BEFORE these health impacts had even been studied.

I believe that the negative impacts of this scheme – air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, massively increased traffic, the risk of planes taking off and landing with a few hundred meters of homes and schools – are clear and unacceptable.

It is absurd to have a major airport on a city’s waterfront.

We have spent millions of taxpayers’ dollars on revitalisizing our waterfront.

No one wants to see, smell and hear jets in their living and recreational space.

We also have spent millions on a train to get us to Pearson in a timely, easier way.

Chicago had the sense to get rid of its city waterfront airport – now people rave about Chicago’s waterfront and tourism has increased by leaps and bounds.

If we let our waterfront be dominated by a commercial airport, people will have much less reason to come to Toronto even if they can fly here.

We’re tired of the Porter gravy train fueled by millions and millions of dollars in subsidies from the federal government and our own Toronto tax dollars.

It is estimated for example that to accommodate jets, it will cost $100 million dollars to fill in the lake for the runway extension. Measures to mitigate the traffic nightmares that will result will cost as much as $300 million dollars.

The waterfront is our collective treasure. Allowing an expanding airport on the waterfront would be one of the greatest planning disasters in the history of this city.



Related Topics: Air Pollution – Airport Noise – Airports – Noise – Noise/Health Risks – Noise Pollution – Toronto/Island Airport – Toronto Islands – Toronto Waterfront