A new citizens group, Waterfront for All, is welcoming today’s Waterfront Toronto recommendation to put in place flood protection for the Port Lands.
More than a dozen organizations from across Toronto are joining forces to see the proposed naturalization and flood-proofing of the Don River mouth become a reality.
“The revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront is not complete without a naturalized Don River mouth and the transformation of the Port Lands,” Ed Hore, chair of newly-formed Waterfront for All said. “As a new umbrella organization for groups from across Toronto, we applaud today’s recommendation and hope Mayor Tory and his fellow councillors will approve the plans.”
Today’s Waterfront Toronto’s due diligence study makes a compelling case for all three levels of government to finally move ahead with Port Lands flood protection.
“The Don River mouth project is the culmination of more than a quarter century of citizen-led advocacy to establish the Don as a green centrepiece of Toronto”, former Bring Back the Don chair John Wilson added. “Without the flood protection measures, the Port Lands simply cannot be developed. Toronto urgently needs the additional housing and green spaces the revitalized Port Lands will yield.”
The environmental assessment study for the flood protection measures was exhaustive and took more than ten years to complete. Thousands of individuals, as well as dozen of community groups and public agencies provided input. The study considered at least ten different alignments for the river before settling upon a preferred option.
“This exciting project will unlock unprecedented opportunities for new neighbourhoods, business centres and waterfront parklands – all within a 20 minute walk from downtown,” Cindy Wilkey, co-chair of the West Don Lands Committee said. “It’s time for all levels of government to make it happen – starting with the City’s commitment.”
About the Project
The proposed flood protection and naturalization of the Don River mouth elegantly combines beauty and function. About 30 hectares (75 acres) of natural habitat – wetlands, uplands and aquatic habitat – will be created, while 240 hectares (600 acres) of land will be removed from flood risk – including hundreds of homes and businesses in Toronto’s east end and a broad swath of underused land in the Port Lands.
About Waterfront for All
Waterfront for All (waterfrontforall.ca) is a nascent umbrella organization for groups and individuals from across the city working together for a green, accessible and inclusive Toronto waterfront. Started by 15 founding member organizations that represent tens of thousands of citizens, Waterfront for All strives to be the voice of citizens in the ongoing push for waterfront revitalization.
Founding member organizations:
– 30 –
For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:
Ed Hore, Chair, 416-455-9323; [email protected]
Tim Ehlich, Media Coordinator, 647-468-3641; [email protected]
Thanks to the many people who attended our Speaker Series Zoom Event on March 31, 2026, our best-attended event ever.
Curious about the island airport, jets and all that? Here's some light reading!
An easy-to-read booklet raising safety questions about the 2013 - 2015 jets proposal, with diagrams and pictures.
A 2023 paper asking if Toronto needs two airports. It looks at some economic and political questions.
A paper asking economic questions about the 2013 - 2015 jets bid. They apply to the 2026 jets proposal as well.
Business at the island airport seems to be in a steep decline. Some numbers, put together by Brian Iler.
"Jet Operations at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Infrastructure Requirements," a 2015 presentation deck by Air Canada's consultants Oliver Wyman; expanding the Island Airport for jets would:
On March 11, 2026, in response to a Freedom of Information request, Toronto Port Authority released AECOM's 2017 Environmental Assessment of Porter Airlines 2013 - 2015 jet proposal, which it secretly completed after the proposal was rejected by the Federal Government in 2015. Here are links to main body of the EA (without the appendices), posted on-line for the first time so far as we know:
Here's the complete EA.
See the Table of differences between the non-jet "baseline" scenario (with RESA) and the possible future scenario where the airport is expanded for jets, Executive Summary, pp.ii to iii.
The EA sets out that expanding the island airport for jets would have adverse impacts on Public Health, Marine Navigation, Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (defined safety zones in the sky where obstacles are forbidden) and on the socio-economic environment.
There will be 20 foot high jet blast “deflectors” (fibreglass walls supported by steel girders) around the ends of the runway, and extending along the side, see page 52, diagrams at pages 41, 50, 51. Also “Sound barriers” and potential for increased odours, page 55.
Both with and without jets, noise levels at the airport cause “environmental insomnia or sleep disturbance” and “hypertension and ischemic health disease”. Engine emmissions cause increased risks of respiratory illness, cardiopulmonary and lung cancer, lesions in upper airways, nasal lesions, increased risk of developing respiratory tract tumours. See page 62.
Jet blast will cause wind problems for small boats putting them at risk of overturning (even with jet blast deflectors), pages 63, 64.
Problems with Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (empty safety areas in the sky which lessen the risk of a plane hitting buildings). There was non-compliance even in 2017 with Airport Zoning Regulations, that is, actual or proposed buildings at Villiers island, East Bayfront, Lower Yonge, Bathurst Quay, Fort York Neighbourhood exceeded allowable maximum building height, page 73.
Many socio-economic effects for the waterfront of expanding BBTCA to accommodate jets are listed at pages 80 to 81, including: increased congestion, increased air traffic will affect residents use and enjoyment of property, extended runway will cause visual disturbance and encroach on the area available for water-based recreation, increasing congestion for boaters, loss in local business activity due to congestion and parking problems.
