Toronto councillors ask city solicitor for legal options to fight provincial takeover at Billy Bishop
CBC
As Premier Doug Ford plans to take over Toronto's stake in Billy Bishop airport, councillors are looking at legal options to defend city-owned land there and along the waterfront.
Councillors voted Wednesday to formally oppose any unilateral expropriation of city land by the provincial or federal governments, and request that Ottawa and Queen's Park include council and Toronto residents in all significant decisions impacting the city, including on the use of its waterfront.
Currently, the city is part of a three-way agreement with the federal government and Toronto Port Authority to govern the airport, with Toronto owning about 20 per cent of the land.
Ford has said the province will take over that land, indicating this week that his government plans to give the airport special designation that would allow the province to bypass municipal and provincial laws as it pushes to build infrastructure that would allow jets to fly in and out.
Coun. Ausma Malik, who introduced the motion to oppose the takeover, called Ford's plan "unacceptable."
“The province is telling us they don’t care what we have to say, they don’t care about collaboration, negotiation or the best outcomes, they don’t care what Torontonians have to say,” she said. "We demand a seat at the table."
Coun. Josh Matlow added a successful amendment asking the city solicitor to report back to council late next month on "potential legal options to defend the City of Toronto’s interests" regarding city-owned lands at Billy Bishop and along the waterfront.
"If we don't take a stand and look into every option that we have, what's going to be the next announcement?" he asked council.
But there may be little the city can do legally if the province pushes ahead with the takeover, experts told CBC Toronto earlier this month, as it's ultimately under the province's jurisdiction. If the city objects, the province could use special powers to take control within six months, according to the former president of the Ontario Expropriation Association, and the courts would determine how much the province would need to compensate the city.
The city solicitor will report back when council meets April 22-24.
Allowing jets at the waterfront airport has long been opposed by downtown residents and councillors due to concerns over noise and environmental impacts.
Some councillors are also worried expanding the airport could impact plans to develop thousands of housing units in the Port Lands.
"And that's going to be ruined by making runway space for these jets that don't belong there? It's a terrible idea," Coun. Dianne Saxe told reporters before Wednesday's council meeting.
But the impacts are unclear, city staff told council, because the province hasn't shared any detailed plans.
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