Overview
- Ontario said Monday it will table spring legislation to replace the City of Toronto in the airport’s governing deal, assume the city‑owned lands for compensation, and clear a path for jets by naming the site a special economic zone.
- Bill 5 allows cabinet to exempt a designated area from provincial laws and city bylaws, which the province says it will use after consulting First Nations to speed permits and construction.
- Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said any decision still needs agreement from all three signatories to the tripartite agreement, so federal rules and approvals would continue to apply.
- Toronto leaders and local groups signaled legal and political pushback, warning that the longer runways jets need would extend into Lake Ontario and could affect parks, beaches, noise and the waterfront.
- The Toronto Port Authority welcomed expansion and the province pledged compensation to the city, with supporters arguing it could add jobs, lower fares and ease pressure on Pearson, though jets at the island airport have been contested for decades.