Medical officials warn of potential health impacts of Billy Bishop airport expansion

While it’s still unclear what an expanded Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport could look like, public health officials say increasing the number of planes operating near the waterfront will likely come with health impacts for residents in the area. Air pollution and noise are two concerns that were raised by the city’s top doctor, Michelle [...]

Medical officials warn of potential health impacts of Billy Bishop airport expansion Posted July 13, 2026 11:14 pm. While it’s still unclear what an expanded Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport could look like, public health officials say increasing the number of planes operating near the waterfront will likely come with health impacts for residents in the area. Air pollution and noise are two concerns that were raised by the city’s top doctor, Michelle Murti at a press conference on Monday.

“What types of jets are going to be there? How many flights a day?” she asked.

“What is that going to change in terms of the waterfront situation?” “Because all of those things would go into understanding what that specific health impact would be there, and to be able to say to citizens who live in that area, this is the type of change we might see,” she added. While Ontario Premier Doug Ford has not released an official proposal about his plan to expand Billy Bishop airport, the Toronto Port Authority, which jointly operates the airport under a tripartite agreement with the City of Toronto and Transport Canada, has stated that an expansion would likely cost between $4 and $5 billion, with construction lasting approximately 25 years.

“I think an increase in planes, and increase in activity, will lead to some kind of additional contributions to noise [and] additional contributions to air pollution,” Dr. Murti told reporters. She said there could be other impacts to the economy, including the cancellation of future housing projects. In June, the federal government, through Transport Canada, began public consultations on the future of the airport, which remains open for feedback until July 24.

The agency says its key priorities are noise mitigation, environmental measures and community infrastructure.