Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is fully on board with the prime minister’s plan to see private investors take over operations at Canada’s four largest airports, including Toronto Pearson.
Ford says not only is the idea “fabulous,” but it should be expanded to include Toronto’s island airport.
The premier has been pushing for the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to be expanded so it can accommodate jets, continuing his push even after the federal government rejected the plan.
He says the island airport is an ideal project for privatization, as it is “shovel ready” and would greatly benefit the economy.
“The PM is on fire, he’s moving,” said Ford at an unrelated news conference. “He’s privatizing airports that should’ve been done years ago.”
Airport private investment makes sense now ‘in different times,’ Carney says
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Tuesday that under his airport pitch, the federal government would retain ownership of the land and assets.
He says the government is not looking to privatize airports but rather to change their operational structure, and the government would reinvest money that’s raised into regional airports.
Provincial opposition party leaders are not quite so fond of Carney’s plan or Ford’s support to privatize airports.
Ford focused on his own pitch for Billy Bishop Airport and didn’t have a word about the potential impacts on travellers or airport workers, said Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles on social media platform X.
“Just another run at one of the last public spaces every family in this city can afford. Toronto said no. He’s trying again anyway,” she said.
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The province needs investments that help everyday people, rather than “line the pockets of the rich,” said Ontario Greens Leader Mike Schreiner in a news release.
“Premier Ford should be looking for opportunities that will create good, generational jobs in Ontario — not looking for new ways to sell off our public infrastructure,” Schreiner said.
He called on the government “to get its priorities straight,” adding that privatized airports will make air travel even more expensive.
