Proposed Airport

 

Existing residents and newcomers to Cornell need to make themselves aware of how we and our neighbours in eastern York Region and western Durham Region could be affected by the long proposed Pickering Airport.

This is not a new issue but needs to continue to be addressed.

Contacting your local MP or MPP, local Conservative, NDP and Green Party offices and /or our Town of Markham elected officials is one of the best ways to put your feelings, pro or con regarding the proposed airport on record.

One way of publicly voicing your opposition to the proposed Pickering airport is to log on to the following website and sign the petition that is posted.

Say NO to the Pickering Airport: www.gopetition.com

Stay informed and voice your opinions on this and other community issues. For more info and a history of the proposed airport read on...

Residents of Cornell and of all areas that would be affected by the long proposed Pickering Airport will find the following press release of interest.

Contact the offices listed at the end of the press release for further information. Contacting your local MP or MPP, local Conservative, NDP and Green Party offices and /or our Town of Markham elected officials is one of the best ways to put  your feelings, pro or con regarding the   Proposed airport on record.

No. ON 01/05
For Immediate Release
September 9, 2005

UPDATE ON PLANNING INITIATIVES FOR THE FEDERAL PICKERING LANDS

OTTAWA – Transport Minister Jean-C. Lapierre today provided an update on planning initiatives related to the continued protection of the Pickering Lands for future aviation requirements. The Minister announced that Transport Canada would coordinate further study on the role of airports in the southern Ontario area in accommodating future air traffic growth. In addition, the Minister confirmed that Transport Canada would conduct a comprehensive due diligence review of all related airport planning studies.

“Once this study and review have been completed, my department will be in a position to recommend next steps, including whether or not to proceed to a federal environmental assessment for a future possible airport,” said Minister Lapierre. “The findings of the study and all significant steps in this process will be made public.”

The Minister also reconfirmed that a portion of the federal Pickering Lands site will continue to be protected as green space.

A decision on an airport on the Pickering Lands will not be made until at least 2009.

Contacts:

André Fortin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister, Ottawa
(613) 991-0700

Julie Iannetta
A/Regional Director, Communications
Transport Canada, Ontario Region
(416) 952-0156

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons with visual disabilities.

Pickering Airport Lands Boundary Maps

For more maps visit: http://www.tc.gc.ca/OntarioRegion/pickering/maps.htm

The History of the Proposed Pickering Airport

1972
Approximately 7,350 hectares of land, encompassing the municipalities of Pickering, Markham and Uxbridge, were expropriated by the Government of Canada at a cost of $120 million. The intent was to retain the lands for a potential international airport site for the greater Metropolitan Toronto region. As a temporary measure, a Provincial Minister’s Order was enacted to partially restrict development around the Pickering Lands.

1975
Plans for a "Minimum International Airport" got underway; however, construction was halted in September due to the provincial government's withdrawal of support for essential off-site arrangements such as roads, water and sewer services. The lands were placed under the administration of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) through an Interdepartmental Memorandum of Understanding with Transport Canada. An overall site management policy was established by Transport Canada.

1984 – 1994
On several occasions Transport Canada considered selling a portion of the federally-owned Pickering lands, but in each instance, the decision was deferred.

July 1994
Transport Canada announced a new National Airports Policy (NAP) which, for the first time, provided Canada with a comprehensive framework that clearly defined the federal government's role regarding airports. Under the NAP, the federal government announced it would maintain its role as regulator and changed its role of airport owner and operator to that of landlord.

July 1998
Transport Minister David Collenette initiated regulatory action to protect the option of developing a potential, future airport on the Pickering Lands for a local entity.

November 1998
A decision was made to defer the declaration process to enable local governments and interest groups to be active participants in the development and implementation of alternatives to federal airport zoning regulations. A multi-stakeholder committee comprised of affected municipal, local interest groups, and Transport Canada, was formed to explore alternatives to federal airport zoning regulations, including the Alternative Bylaw Process.

March 2001
Minister Collenette announced that the federal government would protect federally owned portions of the Oak Ridges Moraine and areas around the Rouge Park as Green Space.

April 2001
Transport Minister David Collenette announced that an agreement had been reached between the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and Toronto Airways Ltd. for the continued operation of Toronto Buttonville Municipal Airport. The agreement would allow capacity to be maximized, thereby delaying a decision to build a reliever airport on the Pickering Lands. The Minister also announced that the department would proceed with the designation of the property as an airport site under the Aeronautics Act. This step represents prudent long term technical planning, and will protect the site for possible future aviation requirements.

August 2001
The Order declaring the Lands an airport site was signed on August 1, 2001 and appeared in the Canada Gazette, Part II on August 15, 2001.

December 2001
On the advice of their legal council, the municipalities abandoned the Alternative Bylaw Process for airport zoning.

April 2002
Transport Canada sent letters to the municipalities, advising them that Transport Canada was proceeding with the federal airport zoning regulation process.

May 2002
The Minister announced the Green Space Strategy for protection. The strategy is a three pronged approach: Continued federal ownership; Guiding Principles for future management and the formation of a Stewardship Advisory Committee to develop a master plan over the next twelve months.

October 2002
The Minister announced the membership of the Green Space Stewardship Advisory Committee.

June 2002 – February 2003
Transport Canada met on several occasions with Municipal Planners to discuss technical aspects of the draft Airport Zoning Regulations (AZR). Transport Canada also met with municipal council representatives from each municipality affected by the AZR to clarify the purpose and potential impact of the AZR. In addition, Transport Canada met with the Pickering Advisory Committee, the Regional Municipalities of York and Durham, and the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing to discuss AZR.

April 2003
The proposed Pickering Airport Site Zoning Regulations were submitted to the Special Committee of Council by the Minister of Transport, and, upon approval, were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on April 12, 2003, and April 19, 2003. Public notices appeared in local newspapers to inform interested persons of the publication of the Pickering Airport Site Zoning Regulations, and to invite public participation in a series of Open Houses hosted by Transport Canada between April 28 and May 31, 2003 in each affected municipality. Interested persons were invited to make written representations, postmarked between April 12, 2003 and June 11, 2003, concerning the proposed regulations. Information concerning AZR was also made available to the public through Transport Canada's website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/OntarioRegion/pickering/azr/en/menu.htm.

Present
A public consultation period and opportunity for public comments took place in the fall of 2004. The most recent recommendations of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) were presented at over 8 regional community meetings. The next phase will be the initiation of the various environmental assessments and studies. We will keep Cornell residents informed as to the progress of these studies and how we as a community can voice our opinions and views.    

Source of above Maps & Timeline: Transport Canada Website
www.tc.gc.ca/OntarioRegion/pickering/menu.htm

For more information on the Proposed Pickering Airport visit:

For information on V.O.C.A.L
(Voters Organized to Cancel Airport Land)
go to - www.vocalvoice.ca

Black Hole
go to - www.blackhole.on.ca/Pickering_Airport.htm

Greater Toronto Airport Authority
For information on the GTAA,
go to - www.gtaa.com

Transport Canada
go to - www.tc.gc.ca

Thank you to Dave Burkholder former crpa Airport Director for compiling the above Airport Timeline.

 

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