Police face questions after October bomb scare at Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport

Members of the Toronto police force attended a meeting on Thursday to answer questions about the emergency response to a suspicious package that prompted the shutdown of Billy Bishop Airport in October.

On Saturday, Oct. 22, police were called to Billy Bishop Airport around 4 p.m. after a suspicious device was found on a bike parked near the ferry terminal.

The airport runway was closed for several hours, and two scheduled Air Canada flights were diverted to Hamilton.

Authorities said initial tests by the emergency disposal unit led police officers to believe the package may be an explosive device. Shortly after midnight, police conducted a controlled detonation.

Two people of interest were detained, and both were said to be cooperating with the investigation. Both were released after an “extensive investigation,” with police saying no charges were laid.

RELATED: Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport reopens after suspicious package found at terminal

Three associations in Toronto partnered to host Thursday night’s event at the Waterfront Neighbourhood Centre in the Queen’s Quay neighbourhood.

The Bathurst Quay Network Association (BQNA) has been critical of Toronto police’s response, saying officers and PortsToronto, which operates Billy Bishop, were ill-prepared.

Photo: Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association.

“Throughout the eight‑hour evacuation, there was no communication from either PortsToronto or Toronto police as to the nature of the problem, except for one tweet from Toronto Police Operations,” the BQNA said.

“All of our questions demand answers. Toronto police and Ports Toronto need to be accountable for their apparently shoddy handling of this incident and non‑existent communication during it. The waterfront communities are entitled to much better.”

PortsToronto, TPS defends security response 

On Thursday, first responders, including the Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU), said they followed protocols, and despite determining rather early that the device was not dangerous to the public, the goal was to ensure that the surrounding area was safe.

“We were processing towards the conclusion of the [security] event,” a Toronto police spokesperson said at the meeting.

A PortsToronto spokesperson tells CityNews that airport personnel and responding officers acted accordingly after the device was discovered.

“PortsToronto and Billy Bishop Airport had no jurisdiction or influence over how the investigation was carried out or any of the actions taken, including the evacuations,” the PortsToronto media representative said.

“We understand that residential units were evacuated by [Toronto police] out of an abundance of caution, as were areas of Billy Bishop Airport. Toronto Police Services followed protocol and effectively managed the situation and locations to ensure public safety, and we applaud their efforts to do so.”

No injuries were reported, but those stranded inside the airport terminal described a chaotic but relatively calm scene where staff offered sparse updates and passengers learned about the situation from the media.

Some passengers that were at Billy Bishop that day reported seeing six heavily-armed police officers in tactical gear enter the terminal and head toward an upper floor, away from crowds gathered near the exits.

PortsToronto says the device was attached to a bike and “was not specific to the airport.”

“The situation could have happened anywhere along the waterfront or in the city,” the spokesperson added.

“Fortunately, the device was ultimately found to be of no threat or concern to public safety. The purpose of the meeting is to answer questions and hear from residents for consideration in future situations that may require police intervention.”

With files from The Canadian Press