Toronto’s waterfront is more than our city’s edge along Lake Ontario – it’s a destination and second neighbourhood for every Torontonian to enjoy. We've come a long way in revitalizing our waterfront, but much more work lies ahead.

That’s why over 20 organizations have come together to form Waterfront for All – as a new citizens group for everyone interested in the future of Toronto's waterfront. We need your help to grow - from Etobicoke to Scarborough, from North York to the islands. Whether as a resident or as a group, everyone is invited to join.

News & Media

City Council RESA vote coming

City Council will vote at its meeting October 9 - 11, 2024 whether to adopt the recommendations in the September 27 Staff Report to adopt RESA 1, no more. 

It should do so! In brief, here's why.

We are deeply concerned that airport industry lobbyists have been misrepresenting the position of community representatives.

Contrary to the conclusions of city staff's Report, Ports Toronto claims it can't afford to build RESA 1 without an extension of the Tripartite Agreement. That's not true.

Safety First! Stop the island airport’s lobbying bullies!

Waterfront for All

 

Safety First! Stop the island airport’s lobbying bullies!

The federal government requires that Toronto Island Airport build Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs) in less than three years - by July 14, 2027.

City staff in an exhaustive report dated September 27, 2024 recommended focussing on safety for now; build the simplest, least expensive option that keeps people safe, the so-called RESA 1 option. Otherwise Ports Toronto would miss the deadline.

Staff recommended that bigger questions about the airport and its future should be studied over the next few years with lots of public consultation. Executive Committee of Council adopted that staff recommendation on October 1.

But Ports Toronto and Nieuport have been lobbying Councillors for months to ignore the staff report, and expand the airport NOW in ways NOT related to safety.

They demand Council allow a much bigger airport NOW.  Most of all, they demand an automatic extension of the Tripartite Agreement past its expiry in 2033 NOW - so the airport would exist and expand for an extra 40 years - without any public consultation or study.  

The matter goes to City Council, in a vote this coming Wednesday, October 9, 2024.

Call or write your councillor on Monday before this goes to City Council. Click here to check your Ward & Find your Councillor.

Tell him or her Council should adopt the Staff Report and its recommendations when Council votes on October 9!

Torontonians should NOT vote away their right to have a say on the future of the island airport!

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Waterfront for All
https://www.waterfrontforall.ca/

Waterfront for All RESA Submission to the City of Toronto

Submission re Island Airport Runway End Safety Areas, 
City Public Input Meeting, Enercare Centre, September 24, 2024


Executive Summary


The City should not agree to any amendment of the Tripartite Agreement in the current RESA process - except, at most, a narrowly-defined permission to do the minimum build-out needed to comply with the federal RESA regulations, nothing more. Much more information is required before even that is granted.

Council should on no account agree to any extension now of the 50 year Tripartite Agreement past its current expiry in 2033. Much further study is required before Council can make an informed decision on the long-term future of the airport. There’s no time to do that now.

The RESA Regulations, Ports Toronto’s delays and secretiveness. The federal regulations are described in the background materials. Some kind of RESA structure must be built by July 12, 2027. Ports Toronto has so far not told anyone what it wants to build.

Yet the regulations have been under discussion since 2010, when the Federal government first said it intended to go ahead with them. They were published in final form in 2021, three years ago. The City should not be rushed by Ports Toronto’s delay and procrastination.

The key underlying question: does it really make sense go through all this for a duplicative airport used by less than 5% of Toronto’s air travelers? Maybe it’s cheaper, easier, and less disruptive to consolidate airline operations at Pearson, 20 or so km away. Council should not agree to any RESA option without detailed drawings and information on what construction disruption, noise and pollution can be expected, and an environmental assessment. Council needs to be clear what it is voting on.

Ports Toronto has held only one public meeting to date, on July 17, 2024. It outlined very briefly what it called “options” for RESA compliance.

Meaningful consultations with the public, and an informed vote by Council, are essentially impossible at this time due to the lack of information from Ports Toronto.

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