City council votes to study Porter Airlines expansion bid
Posted May 7, 2013 7:07 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – City council voted to approve a feasibility study into Porter Airlines’ bid to extend the island airport runway for jets to fly in and out of the airport.
City councillors voted 29-15 in favour of studying the impact of the expansion bid following a heated debate.
Mayor Rob Ford said it is a good start.
“It’s a good beginning. I’m glad that we’re moving in the right direction. It’s going to create jobs and it’s great for tourism,” he said.
Porter Airlines chief executive Robert Deluce is pleased with the vote.
“We got a really good, solid endorsement by council. That’s really all we were ever looking for,” he said.
The company will foot the bill for the first phase of the study.
Coun. Adam Vaughan opposes Porter’s expansion bid and was successful in implementing several amendments to the study.
“I’ve been through these fights and watched this fight, and this fight in my ward, is 30 years in the making. I can assure you the protections we put in place today are going to serve our residents well,” he said.
“This jet has never flown and this proposal is still not off the tarmac and the protections we put in place now are going to protect our waterfront communities and we will continue to fight for them.”
Deluce says they are OK with that.
“I didn’t see any issue there with any of the amendments.”
The meeting was packed — half with supporters wearing yellow “I’m on board with Porter” shirts and the other half with people who don’t want this plan to go ahead.
One man who opposes the plan from citizen group No Jets T.O. says Tuesday evening’s vote is not a loss.
“That’s the good thing about democracy and open conversations — they can go both ways,” he said.
