Billy Bishop Airport (2013)

The debate over potential expansion continues.

Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport is the ninth busiest airport in Canada. Its location on Toronto’s central waterfront makes it an attractive transportation option but has also resulted in several restrictions on airplane type (no jets) and flight volume. Billy Bishop’s principal tenant, Porter Airlines, has proposed the introduction of “whisper jet” technology that would result in jet aircraft with larger capacities able to travel to/from greater distances. Such technology would require runway extensions and modification to the current ban on jet aircraft.

HLT was engaged by the Economic Development department of the City of Toronto to a full economic impact analysis to detail the impacts expected from the runway expansion and the introduction of jet aircraft. Impacts included those resulting from scheduled aviation, waterfront development, impacts on key sectors such as film and media industries operating in the Port Lands, potential benefit for the manufacturing of aircraft in Toronto, tourism and other business development.

This process included an assessment of airline operational data, benchmarking of comparable North American destinations, and extensive stakeholder interviews and consultation including: active participation at four citizen town hall meetings as well as an extensive one-on-one and small group interview process with City councillors, the City Manager, Executive Council, and senior officials in both the Waterfront Secretariat and the Economic Development department, airport and airline staff, waterfront businesses, waterfront residents, and ancillary stakeholders such as condominium developers.

In completing this analysis, HLT focused on the potential increase in passenger loads through Billy Bishop and the economic and business benefits/challenges derived solely from increased passenger activity.

The debate over potential expansion continues.