Apparently, everyone in the world already knows how much of a fiasco trying to get in or out of Toronto Pearson International Airport has been lately, and amid desperate attempts to hire more staff and promises of more resources from the federal government to help, the situation doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
But one Canadian leader just proposed a new solution that he vowed to implement if ever elected.
MP Pierre Poilievre, who is considered the front-runner in the campaign to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, issued a press release Thursday about his future plans to “remove Toronto’s guards” and let planes fly through the city’s much smaller island airport , Billy Bishop if he ever becomes Prime Minister.
A bid to allow not only turboprops but also jets at the airport, as Torontonians know, was scrapped a few years ago as residents fought against it based on potential noise, emissions and more (the idea was even opposed of Air Canada).
Eliminate the gatekeepers. Approval of expansion of Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto.
Give passengers more options than the zoo and mayhem at Pearson.
Get involved here if you agree: pic.twitter.com/yIHSMR8eBk
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) July 21, 2022
“Commuting at Pearson is a mess right now. There could have been a lot more flights from Billy Bishop Airport in downtown Toronto, which means more competition and more choice, but the horrible watchdogs weren’t going to let that happen,” Poilievre wrote today, saying he wants to overturn Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to the issue and to expand the small center.
He also noted that Billy Bishop was the ninth busiest airport in domestic passenger traffic in 2019 with 2.8 million customers and that “with jets, Billy Bishop can expand to over 4.8 million passengers per year. .. [and] take the pressure off the overcrowded Pearson Airport.”
While the idea made little sense, people were quick to point out many obvious logistical problems — like the physical limitations of island space, the Trilateral Agreement that governs aircraft operations from the airport, and the general opposition of, well, pretty much everyone.
Sounds like HE IS the only watchman that will be allowed to guard the gates.
— Mike Ross (@RossyOnTheMic) July 21, 2022
Some also wonder why the government can’t just take the money it would take to expand and bring planes to the airport and instead use it to improve Pearson or invest in infrastructure like high-speed rail.
As one person wrote: “You can’t lease Pearson, but you believe expanding to another airport that’s downtown will turn out well? Thank goodness for guards who think long term and not just short term!”
This is stupid, if you can add staff to BB Airport to handle more traffic, why not add them to Pearson?
— David Loehr (@winstonloehr) July 21, 2022
It is clear that the proposal is not well received even as a long shot, unlikely to materialize at this stage.
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