Air Canada is dramatically expanding its service at Billy Bishop
In the decades-old fight for the soul of the Toronto Islands, mark one down for team airport
Billy Bishop’s existence has always been contentious, with advocates touting the economic benefits and critics condemning the environmental harms. But, last year, the municipal and federal governments sided with the former camp when they agreed to extend the airport’s lease until 2045.
Now, another coup for the aerodrome. In October, Air Canada announced that it would be dramatically expanding its service on the Toronto Islands beginning next spring. That means new routes to New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington and increased flights to Ottawa and Montreal. It also means long-term financial security for Billy Bishop.
It’s good news for time-strapped Torontonians and tourists but bad news for islanders and condo dwellers suffering from turbine-generated noise—to the tune of 26 additional flights a day.
Related: Air Canada is trying to make amends—with more free booze
Barry Jordan Chong is the city and real estate editor at Toronto Life. He lives and writes in Toronto.
A previous version of this article stated that Billy Bishop would offer 600 flights a day. In fact, the number of additional flights is 26.
