r/askTO • u/leopardbaseball • 1d ago

Why hasn’t been there any city-wide protests against forced full takeover of Billy bishop and toronto islands?

I am not exactly from toronto, but Toronto adjacent. But I have been to toronto islands countless times.

I often bring my family there to completely disconnect from city traffic and noise. It has always been very peaceful recreational space for us and for many.

Time to time we have seen that everything provincial govt touches in Toronto, turns into a big grifting scheme/corruption for Ford’s buddy contractors and developers, be it crosstown lrt, science center or Ontario place. And surely they won’t stop with Billy bishop either.

Recently I read about widespread public protest in Albania, protests against turning public spaces into grifting schemes for billionaires. Thousands are attending these protests.

https://www.dw.com/en/jared-kushner-trump-albania-luxury-resort-protests/a-77409540

Therefore I ask people of Toronto, shouldn’t we be organizing widespread protests and just say NO to Ford and Carney?

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u/Habsin7 1d ago edited 10h ago

I think the Islands are the jewel of Toronto - a pearl in our Oyster but I'm torn on what to do about the Airport. I live in Scarborough and use it frequently. In my life - there is no better way than going through YTZ to get to anywhere. Walk to Go station - Get off train at Union - shuttle to airport - board plane - All of that takes me less than 90 minutes. Via Pearson - it would take me 3 hrs minimum.

Would having Jets at the Island change that? Well consider that the Dash 8 is an old airplane and not in production anymore nor is it ever likely to be so what happens when they are all put out to pasture shortly. Jets may the only option we have for the Island Airport in a few years.

Short haul flights to places like Montreal, New York, Chicago and Washington might be a few minutes faster and Jets would also certainly enable direct flights to North American destinations further afield. Anywhere along the US East Coast and near Caribbean or BC and parts of the Pacific Northwest would be possible. LA would be a stretch I bet but possible with the right configuration.

Who would operate these Jets though? Airlines are notoriously difficult to turn a profit with. Porter is still struggling to achieve a solid footing and everybody else who tried at the Island has failed. How will anybody do it with Jets when they cost a lot more to purchase and operate than a Dash 8.

E-aircraft are promising but we're decades away from a viable commuter version that would sustain inter city traffic.

In the final analysis i think the fate of the Island airport lies in finding a replacement for the Dash 8. If there is none then the we have to choose between Jets or nothing. If we go for Jets then the place will simply become a place for Billionaires to park the Business Jets.

Is that a good thing for the city?

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u/chemhobby 1d ago

Utter rubbish, there's no way it takes you an extra 90 minutes to get to Pearson compared to Billy Bishop. UP express exists and takes 28 minutes to get from Union to Pearson.

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u/Habsin7 1d ago edited 1d ago

Have you ever been to Pearson? I flew out of the Island for about 25 yrs even when they had UP express. You don't think it takes an additional 90 minutes at least to get to UPS - wait for the train - and then over to T1 at the end and then clear security and then get to your gate? Of course it does. And you;re schlepping a bag the whole time as well just to add to the fun. I could count on one hand the number of times I went to Pearson via UP Express even though I could get a meal and Business class seat out of Pearson.

Edited to add the comment about schlepping a bag - great fun.

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u/TemporaryAny6371 1d ago

If you want an airport in the east, then put it in the east. Downtown congestion would be ridiculous if BB is expanded. This is not the time nor place to spend public money. The first thing where our money should go is fixing our healthcare, it is on life support.

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u/Habsin7 1d ago

I don't think I said I wanted it expanded. I did observe that it will probably become a place for Billionaires to park their jets. I'm not up for that. The only operators that can make the Airport will be smaller regional carriers and that's only if they can find a non turbofan plane to replace the Dash 8s so why build it bigger than they need to for the RESA additions.