On January 21, Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell and I sent the following letter to Ports Toronto (the Toronto Port Authority), supporting an earlier application by the Greater Waterfront Coalition seeking participant funding for the ongoing environmental assessment examining the possibility of expanding the Island Airport.

DOWNLOAD THE LETTER HERE.

January 21, 2015

Mr. Geoff Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
Ports Toronto (Toronto Port Authority)
60 Harbour Street
Toronto ON  M5J 1B7

Re: Greater Waterfront Coalition (“GWC”) request for participant funding

Dear Mr. Wilson;

As the City Councillors for Wards 28 and 20, we are writing to you to voice our support for the Greater Waterfront Coalition, and their request for participant funding in the ongoing environmental assessment (“EA”) process regarding the possible expansion of the ‘Island Airport.’

Any possible expansion of service or facilities at the Island Airport will have serious ramifications for the City of Toronto and its residents, including health and environmental costs, impact on the ongoing revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront and nearby developments, and significant transit and infrastructure costs. A robust, objective EA that takes into account a wide scope of potential issues is an absolute necessity before any decisions can be made regarding the Airport.

As a broad coalition of community groups, the GWC is an ideal participant in the EA process, and including them in the process in a meaningful way will serve only to improve the Assessment.

We urge Ports Toronto to provide arm’s length funding to the GWC in a transparent, accountable way. Doing so will allow the GWC to retain experts to provide objective input, so this process and ongoing discussion about the future of Toronto’s waterfront can be meaningful, and worthwhile.

Sincerely,

[signed]                                                                   [signed] 

Pam McConnell                                                      Joe Cressy
Deputy Mayor                                                           City Councillor
Ward 28 – Toronto Centre-Rosedale                          Ward 20 – Trinity-Spadina

cc:       Edward Hore, Greater Waterfront Coalition
           John Livey, Deputy City Manager
           David Stonehouse, Waterfront Secretariat, Division Head
           Chris Dunn, Waterfront Secretariat
           John Tory, Mayor of Toronto
           Michael Stephenson, Acting Regional Director General, Transport Canada
           John Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Waterfront Toronto
           Brian Denney, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
           Nicole Swerhun, Swerhun Associates
           York Quay Neighbourhood Association
           Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association