Jets Over Nature: The True Cost of Island Airport Expansion

The proposed expansion of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to accommodate jet aircraft threatens several of the most significant natural habitats in our city. Toronto identifies 89 Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs), 15 of which lie directly within the airport’s flight path—including six on Toronto Island and nine others across Cherry Beach, the Leslie Spit, High Park, and the mouth of the Humber River. These sites are vital stopovers for migratory birds crossing Lake Ontario and essential nesting grounds for native species.

The Toronto Field Naturalists have also published an excellent article highlighting many of the remarkable ecological features that make Toronto Island worth protecting.

The environmental impact of this expansion is multifaceted:

  • Noise Pollution: The province has suggested using “quieter jets,” specifically the Airbus A220-100 and the Embraer E195-E2, to replace or supplement the current Dash 8 Q400 turboprops. However, the Airbus A220-100 is approximately 1.5 dB louder than the Dash 8, increasing the noise burden on sensitive wildlife populations.
  • Air Quality: Turbo-fan (jet) engines generally produce higher emissions than turbo-props. The increased output of NOx, SOx, CO, hydrocarbons, and soot poses a direct threat not only to human respiratory health but also to the delicate ecosystems surrounding Lake Ontario.

Toronto Island is a premier public asset, offering residents a rare chance to experience nature and open green space just minutes from downtown. It is difficult to justify the provincial plan to expropriate large portions of Toronto Island and Norway Park when Pearson International Airport remains easily accessible—under 30 minutes away by public or private transport.

Furthermore, the provincial government’s track record—including the removal of 850 trees during the redevelopment of Ontario Place—justifies public concern that this expansion is merely the first step toward allowing even larger, more disruptive aircraft.

How You Can Help

To protect these vital natural spaces, please consider taking the following actions:

Toronto Island is more than a transportation corridor or a development opportunity — it is one of the last places in Toronto where residents can experience extensive natural shoreline, migrating birds, rare plants, dunes, wetlands, and quiet green space within the heart of the city. Once these habitats are degraded, they cannot easily be restored. Decisions made today will shape the ecological future of Toronto’s waterfront for generations. Protecting these spaces requires public engagement, informed discussion, and a willingness to prioritize long-term environmental stewardship over short-term convenience. If enough residents speak up now, we still have an opportunity to ensure that Toronto Island remains a refuge for both wildlife and people.

-Pete S

Toronto Field Naturalists wishes to acknowledge this Land through which we walk. For thousands of years, the Land has been shared by the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, and the Anishinaabe. Toronto is situated on the Land within the Toronto Purchase, Treaty 13, the traditional and treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is also part of the Dish with One Spoon Wampum, a covenant agreement between Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Wendat peoples and allied nations to peaceably share the land and all its resources. Today, the Land is home to peoples of numerous nations. We are all grateful to have the opportunity to continue to care for and share the beauty of this Land.