Ottawa Will Respect Toronto Decision on Airport Bridge

December 4, 2003

Ottawa Will Respect Toronto Decision on Airport Bridge
The Globe and Mail, Canada
 
 
Ottawa agreed Thursday to respect a Toronto City Council decision to end its 
support for the construction of a bridge to the downtown island airport.

City council, led by Mayor David Miller, voted Wednesday to 26-18 to reverse 
its decision earlier this year to support the bridge, which would link the city 
with the airport.

Mr. Miller was concerned about the effects of the increased traffic on the 
city's waterfront and on the island.

On Wednesday, the council also voted to ask Ottawa and the Toronto Port 
Authority, the federal agency that operates the small, money-losing airport, to 
withdraw their support to build the bridge.

Transport Minister David Collenette announced Thursday in Ottawa that the 
federal government would support council — a quick response considering the 
city had asked to hear back from Ottawa within three months.

The Toronto Port Authority, however, an arm's-length part of the federal 
government, still has not said whether it will withdraw from the $22-million 
project. A construction site has already been set up on the waterfront.

“I do not have the statutory authority under the Canada Marine Act to do 
this,” Mr. Collenette said at a press conference in Ottawa.

Heated debate over the construction of the project to build a 122-metre fixed 
link was a pivotal part of the election of new Toronto Mayor David Miller.

He made killing the bridge project one of his key campaign promises.
 
 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dc/dcboard.php

*****************************************