Island airport tunnel: Stepping stone for dangerous expansion plans

NoJetsTO —

The announcement by the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) about the tunnel construction reaching the half-way point is anything but an occasion to celebrate. The controversial tunnel is part of the TPA’s long-running plans to turn the boutique Island Airport into a second Pearson.

“It’s an irony that the TPA is putting the tunnel in place ten years after David Miller defeated the bridge to the Island Airport,” NoJetsTO chair Anshul Kapoor said. “The tunnel is the first step towards a massively expanded Island Airport; jets on the waterfront are next.”

While making access to the airport easier for travellers, the tunnel will primarily serve Porter-owner Deluce in achieving the 70% passenger increase that he is banking on with his jet expansion plans.

“The tunnel, extended runways and jet aircraft are part of a disastrous mix for Toronto’s waterfront,” Kapoor pointed out. “With the tunnel we get one step closer to sacrificing our great waterfront for the profit of the few.”

“The tunnel doesn’t change anything about the fact that 75% of Island Airport users arrive by car,” the NoJetsTO chair added. “With an expanded Island Airport, traffic gridlock in downtown will only get worse.”

NoJetsTO is a coalition of concerned citizens dedicated to preserving Toronto’s mixed-use waterfront and a boutique Island Airport. Representing residents and organizations across Toronto, NoJetsTO opposes the expansion of the Island Airport through jet aircraft and extended runways. NoJetsTO’s goal is to protect the current Tripartite Agreement that governs the Island Airport.

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For more information, please contact:
Tim Ehlich, NoJetsTO Media Co-ordinator, 613-218-9578 or media@nojetsto.ca