Federal rejection halts Billy Bishop airport expansion plan

The federal government has stopped Ontario’s plan to expand Billy Bishop airport in Toronto, a move that environmental and community advocates say will help protect the city’s waterfront and the Toronto Islands. Advocates argued the project would have brought more pollution, traffic and noise, and required major lakefill work that could have altered the shoreline. They said the waterfront had already seen years of investment in rehabilitation and should not be set back by a larger airport footprint. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Ottawa is now focused on safety upgrades already approved for the airport, based on public consultation that drew more than 87,000 responses. Ontario’s government said it will keep working on an expansion plan, citing potential jobs and economic benefits, but the federal decision has put that effort on hold for now.