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Billy Bishop Airport Expansion?

Admiral Beez said:
Well, we know one business jet will have VIP access and apron space at YTZ.
www.thestar.com

Ontario buys used $28.9M private jet for Doug Ford: sources

A senior official confirmed that the province this week took possession of a 2016 Bombardier Challenger 650 executive jet.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
Paywall free: https://archive.is/nws21

Maybe this was always part of the plan, so the Premier can beat the weekend cottage traffic and fly his jet from YTZ to Muskoka Airport (YQA). The latter sees frequent business jet traffic.
Click to expand...
I was going to post the same: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-private-jet-9.7167824
 
Jonny5 said:
That being said, the cynic in me says if there's an election and another party gets in power the response will be "well we already paid for it, so might as well keep it."
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That cynic in you is why the Ford government thinks they can get away with shit like this. We need to be vigilant politically.
 
Liason has polling out (1000 Torontonians, April 12 to 13) that touched on Billy Bishop expansion

"Toronto is split right down the middle on bringing jets to Billy Bishop, with 49% opposed and 46% in favour. That divide isn’t random, it’s driven by geography and age. Downtown residents are firmly against it, while younger voters (18–34) lean the other way. And where the airport actually impacts people, opposition hardens."

"Support is also pretty soft. The minute you start talking about losing parkland or harbour access, majorities flip against expansion. But if you frame it around economic upside or more business destinations, support jumps back up into the high 50s and low 60s. In other words, people like the idea, until there’s a tradeoff."

"What’s not up for debate is process. Two-thirds of the city thinks Toronto needs a say before anything happens. Most voters won’t decide an election on this alone, but there’s more upside for candidates opposing expansion than supporting it. And with 72% saying this matters for the future of the waterfront, this isn’t going away anytime soon."

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Turns out it's a new plane for the province but Ontario had a plane before.
AI: Yes, the Province of Ontario has owned and operated Beechcraft King Air turboprop planes as part of its government fleet for transporting officials, including the Premier, the Lieutenant-Governor, and staff.

Key details regarding Ontario's King Air usage:
Government Fleet: Historically, the Ontario government owned two King Air turboprop planes.
Previous Usage: Premier Doug Ford noted in 2019 that he was the first premier to refuse to use the "premier's plane," the King Air, preferring to travel by road.
Upgrading the Fleet: As of April 2026, the province is moving away from the "range-limited" King Airs and has purchased a used $28.9-million Bombardier Challenger 650 jet to provide more flexibility and longer range for the premier's official travel.
 
Thank God a wider planning exercise of BB and lake filling solutions was never done as this is much better and less expensive!
 
SEE: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-110

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026 authorizes the Minister of Transportation to prescribe and vest prescribed lands owned by the City of Toronto in the Crown. When land is prescribed, all associated buildings, structures, fixtures and improvements owned by the City also vest in the Crown, and the City is prohibited from encumbering or disposing of these assets.

The Act provides for compensation to the City based on market value determined through appraisal reports prepared in accordance with regulatory rules. Disputes regarding compensation are resolved by binding arbitration.

The Act also removes the City of Toronto as a party to the Tripartite Agreement on a prescribed date, substituting the Crown in its place. Dealings by the City in relation to the agreement are prohibited and void.

The Act authorizes the Minister to require the City to provide information relevant to the vesting of land under subsection 2 (1) and establishes rules for service of documents. It limits proceedings against the Crown and confirms that actions under the Act do not constitute an expropriation.

The Act includes regulation‑making powers for both the Minister and the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Act comes into force on Royal Assent.

Bill 110 2026​

An Act to enact the Building Billy Bishop Airport Act, 2026​

 
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