Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, had a National Dream to create a nation from sea to sea by building a rail road. Today the building of Canada continues, but in addition to railroads, airports now connect and move Canadians from coast to coast. As the Toronto region grows, so too must our aviation infrastructure. Building a new airport in Pickering needs to be a national priority.
Canada was formed around a thin ribbon of iron. Without it, America would have pushed north, just as they pushed south into Mexico. Canada would not exist from sea to sea, proud and free. To this day, American politics and economics continue to be a voracious influence pulling at the bonds that unite Canadians. From the new Wexit movement in Alberta to Quebec separatism, Canadian unity is under assault.
Recent events are showing how vulnerable our transportation infrastructure is to disruption. Small groups, using social media to organize both local and foreign protesters, have targeted chokepoints in our transportation infrastructure to push their agendas. Removing these chokepoints by enhancing our national transportation infrastructure (rail, roads and airports) must become a national priority.
Today, one out of every three Canadians travels through Toronto Pearson airport. The Toronto region’s rapid growth and Canada’s free enterprise economy has made it a major hub in the global economy. Even with a world-class team and draconian traffic management efforts, Toronto Pearson International is now a chokepoint. Pearson is landlocked and can not be expanded to meet demands. However, Transport Canada has a plan.
In a far-sighted move, land was set aside in the 1970s in Pickering, just east of Toronto, to future-proof the region’s airport system. Since that time, this land has been managed and carefully zoned for development by Transport Canada. Enhancing and strengthening our airport system with a new airport in Pickering will be beneficial for Canada’s economy. It will create jobs and generate billions in revenue. But most importantly it will tighten the bonds of national unity.
Building Pickering airport will continue John A. McDonald’s dream of a national transportation infrastructure system that is the foundation of Canada. It will take 10 years to build a new airport, and Pearson could hit capacity before construction is complete. The National Dream of uniting Canada from coast to coast is under threat. We have not a moment to lose.
Wow. Durham white paper..2018. ,10,000 jobs. Regional chairs lunch last week…20,000 jobs. And you today 50,000 jobs. Impressive. Trump has zip on you guys. All the while Toronto movement numbers are down 5% this year…and that is real and impressive.
Desperation. Do you really think Garneau the first and only Transport minister with a aviation license will buy this crap, especially when the gtaa itself says it has no capacity issue to 2050 minimum. U miss that part???.
Thanks Mark ..can always count on you for a morning smile.
Troll on Ivan, I will stick with the facts. Btw repeating mis information like the Idea that the GTAA doesn’t recognize it’s own capacity problem undercuts your argument.
They recognize it clearly and state it in their masterplan. Right now they are lobbying hard for public funds to rebuild road and transit access to Pearson.
They can only get more people to the airport by public transit (30% in the master plan) but it needs $Billions in public expenditures.
No public $ – No Union West – No midterm capacity.
And that’s even after restrictions on BA and buying up every piece of land around the airport.
But you know all this your just trolling supporting your own agenda, troll on.
“Where our 2008 Master Plan anticipated the need for a new runway, we now expect to be able to meet demand with existing capacity throughout our 20-year planning period.”
See pg. 7 para. 6 and full discussion pages 46-53. GTAA Master plan 2017-2037 ..google GTAA reports and Publications
So this says, in their own words the airport’s existing 5 runway PRACTICAL capacity is unchallenged in any way until beyond the forecast limit of 2037. (The real MAX. capacity being 15% greater and further out). There is no statement of any construction (terminal or runway) within that time frame (as Eng said in his 2015 agm on line). The 6th fully approved future runway, extends the full airport capacity limit an absolute minimum of 10 years beyond that, namely ~2050.
No 2028 airport limit as Ryan and the Durham white paper say(s). They were all looking at the 2007 master plan that got blown up in 2017 as are you. “Youall are without any comprehension”.
Mark , as long as you shovel it, I will troll. Somebody has to.
and
NOTE; There is no NATIONAL Airport system..There is nothing national about it and the sooner you/we realize that the better off we all will be.
Just a bunch of tin pots with no recognition of any central authority or standards.
BUT we will all know and have ample time to build a Pickering when they (GTAA) commence construction of their 6th runway and increase their gates won’t we. Planning to go to the GTAA AGM this May and ask questions? It is your legal right.
AND Metrolinx, union west, and public funds.. you read it all wrong. GTAA is a “hold harmless” lease, no gov.funds… that is why HE (eng) is buying the property.along his east boundary … and He is promoting that because He has SURPLUS capacity.. …He said so in his “Growing Canada with a mega hub Airport” see page 7. go search/read it. It is on line, saved on my old web site, not his , he took it off, and embarrassment…
Like I said , a smile every day…thanks.
Nice bait and switch. The GTAA is not building a new runway because it does not add significantly to capacity and would come at a huge cost In $$ & disruption . At most it would add 12 movements a hour due to its close location to runway 23 and subsequent inability to do simultaneously operations.
This is reviewed here:
https://pickeringairport.org/is-building-pickering-better-than-building-a-sixth-runway-at-pearson/
If there is, as you claim so much excess capacity then why are they restricting access witH flow control, and Why have one of North Americans most draconian BA reservation systems? Good news is those restrictions are working to reduce the Aircraft load at Pearson, Bad news is that this is increasing costs, burning our economic opportunity and reducing our competitiveness as a nation.
You are an advocate for a system that turns scarcity into profit and that will hurt all Canadians.
Yes, as My work schedule allows, I attended numerous meetings Such as the Oshawa meeting On Tuesday. Hard to get a question in edge wise as some else was beating his chest.
I fear for the unity of our nation and you are not helping at all.
You should have introduced yourself.. What question did you have.? We get together for coffee. You can join in. Anytime…happy to discuss. U have my email.