Carney calls proposal to allow jets at Billy Bishop an “interesting vision”

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s proposal to expand Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) to accommodate jets as “an interesting vision,” but has stopped short of offering full support.

Speaking Monday (March 30) alongside Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Carney addressed the idea publicly for the first time.

The proposal would involve extending the airport’s runway—something Ms. Chow has consistently opposed.

As reported by the Globe and Mail, Ford has said the province could expropriate the city’s stake in the Toronto Islands airport and designate it a “special economic zone,” allowing provincial or municipal rules to be overridden to accelerate development.

Currently, airlines such as Air Canada and Porter Airlines operate turboprop aircraft from the airport. The debate to permit has been going on for decades.

The airport remains governed by a tripartite agreement signed in 1983 between the City of Toronto, the Toronto Port Authority, and the federal government.

Prime Minister Carney says Ottawa has been in discussions with Ontario about their overlapping responsibilities on the file.

“It’s a very interesting vision, big possibilities there. So, we have some component of responsibility there, and we’re working for it,” Carney reportedly said at an unrelated housing announcement with all three levels of government.

Carney also suggested that if Toronto and Ontario streamline their respective roles, it could improve efficiency and allow the federal government to work more directly with the province.

He emphasized that the situation is still evolving, with federal involvement increasing, but said no final decision will be made prematurely.

He added that governments are continuing to collaborate across multiple issues to move things forward.

“Our approach with the airport is collaborate with the federal government and the city and ourselves and bring a great opportunity to the city of Toronto that’s well overdue,” Ford said.

The longstanding tripartite agreement governing Billy Bishop currently prohibits jet aircraft.

However, the Toronto Port Authority, along with Porter and Nieuport Aviation, have been advocating for a change, arguing that newer jets can operate as quietly (or even more quietly) than turboprop planes.

More recently, the City of Toronto agreed to extend the agreement through 2045 and permit the addition of safety buffer zones at the ends of the runways, in line with updated Transport Canada requirements.

These changes would allow the current turboprop fleet to keep operating, but accommodating jets would require a significantly longer runway extension.

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