Press quotes on political reactions to the tunnel
Mayor David Miller, whose first election campaign in 2003 was largely defined by his opposition to an island airport bridge, decried the TPA bid for funds in a statement today. The city has applied for more than $500-million in federal stimulus dollars, for repairs to the city’s sewage system, the Gardiner Expressway and other projects. “The Mayor ... believes that the proposed $38-million in public funds should be used to benefit the broader general public and not just one private business,” Miller spokesperson Stuart Green said in an e-mail. “The City of Toronto is focused on revitalizing the waterfront and a commercial airport is not compatible with that revitalization.” (National Post, August 24)
"Yesterday, a senior provincial government source told the Sun it's unlikely the province could find money to participate in the project, given it has already handed over more than $400 million to the City of Toronto to help buy 204 new streetcars from Bombardier, and has pledged more than $7 billion over the next few years for the Transit City network of dedicated streetcar lines. " (Toronto Sun, August 25)
(Premier Dalton McGuinty) "I'm not going to say yes or no because there's a process for these kinds of things." (Toronto Star, August 25)
(Transport Minister John Baird) Who acknowledged he is a fan of Porter Airlines, said, "We haven't got anything formal in front of us for it...but if they want to apply, it is certainly something we would consider." ... While "a small group of people don't want an airport...a lot more people, I think, do. If it is underground there could not be an argument against it, I suppose." (Toronto Star, August 25)
"It's a joke," said Councillor Adam Vaughan... It's a bunch of money to help one particular airline, not the airline industry. It's a bunch of money to move a few very privileged people, not taxpayers." (Toronto Star, August 25)
Brian Iler, a spokesman for CommunityAIR, a group of residents opposed to the airport, called the plan "cockamamie. I think even (Stephen) Harper's government will realize this just isn't on," he said. "There isn't public support for it." (Toronto Star, August 25)
NDP MP Olivia Chow said she is "outraged" the city's port authority would try to use public money to prop-up a private airline, diverting funds away from other infrastructure projects in Toronto. "If the Minister of Transportation is serious about assisting airline passengers, he should focus on funding electric high speed trains linking Union Station to Pearson International Airport," Chow said in a statement. (Toronto Sun, August 25)
(Ken Lundy, Island Airport Manager, said) The tunnel would service employees at the Ministry of Health’s medical evacuation facilities, he said, and provide an opportunity for the city to begin its project to connect homes on Toronto Island to city water lines “at a much reduced cost.” (National Post, August 24)
NDP MP Olivia Chow, whose federal Trinity-Spadina riding includes the island airport, released a statement today calling on Ottawa to invest in repairing Toronto’s “aged infrastructure” instead of “funding a tunnel for a privileged few.” In an interview, Ms. Chow said an unelected body like the TPA should not compete with city hall for stimulus funds, diverting money away from projects that elected members of the city council have approved. (National Post, August 24)
(Olivia Chow continued) By subsidizing Porter Airlines, the popular airline that has been flying out of the airport since 2006, the government is taking business away from Air Canada, which flies out of Pearson International Airport, and thus limiting the airline’s ability to service smaller Canadian communities, she said. (Chow continued) the respondents (of the survey) weren’t asked if they were willing to use public funds to construct the tunnel. Nor did the poll ask if respondents would rather this money go to the tunnel than to fix the Gardner or the city’s sewage system. (National Post, August 24)
Chris Day, a spokesman for Infrastructure and Transportation Minister John Baird, said Ottawa hasn't yet decided whether to fund the tunnel. "Certainly, we're not funding the EA and no decision has yet been made on whether or not we'll fund the project," Day said. (Toronto Sun, August 25)
Toronto Mayor David Miller, a vocal critic of the island airport and Porter Airlines for years, wouldn't comment on the proposed tunnel yesterday, but a spokesman for Miller's office said he was opposed. "The City of Toronto is focused on revitalizing the Waterfront and a commercial airport is not compatible with that revitalization," Stuart Green said yesterday in an email. "The Mayor also believes that the proposed $38 million in public funds should be used to benefit the broader general public and not just one private business." (Toronto Sun, August 25)
The biggest benefit of the tunnel, McQueen (Chair of the TPA) said, would be serving the growing number of Porter Airline passengers. (Toronto Sun, August 25)
"Yesterday, a senior provincial government source told the Sun it's unlikely the province could find money to participate in the project, given it has already handed over more than $400 million to the City of Toronto to help buy 204 new streetcars from Bombardier, and has pledged more than $7 billion over the next few years for the Transit City network of dedicated streetcar lines. " (Toronto Sun, August 25)
(Premier Dalton McGuinty) "I'm not going to say yes or no because there's a process for these kinds of things." (Toronto Star, August 25)
(Transport Minister John Baird) Who acknowledged he is a fan of Porter Airlines, said, "We haven't got anything formal in front of us for it...but if they want to apply, it is certainly something we would consider." ... While "a small group of people don't want an airport...a lot more people, I think, do. If it is underground there could not be an argument against it, I suppose." (Toronto Star, August 25)
"It's a joke," said Councillor Adam Vaughan... It's a bunch of money to help one particular airline, not the airline industry. It's a bunch of money to move a few very privileged people, not taxpayers." (Toronto Star, August 25)
Brian Iler, a spokesman for CommunityAIR, a group of residents opposed to the airport, called the plan "cockamamie. I think even (Stephen) Harper's government will realize this just isn't on," he said. "There isn't public support for it." (Toronto Star, August 25)
NDP MP Olivia Chow said she is "outraged" the city's port authority would try to use public money to prop-up a private airline, diverting funds away from other infrastructure projects in Toronto. "If the Minister of Transportation is serious about assisting airline passengers, he should focus on funding electric high speed trains linking Union Station to Pearson International Airport," Chow said in a statement. (Toronto Sun, August 25)
(Ken Lundy, Island Airport Manager, said) The tunnel would service employees at the Ministry of Health’s medical evacuation facilities, he said, and provide an opportunity for the city to begin its project to connect homes on Toronto Island to city water lines “at a much reduced cost.” (National Post, August 24)
NDP MP Olivia Chow, whose federal Trinity-Spadina riding includes the island airport, released a statement today calling on Ottawa to invest in repairing Toronto’s “aged infrastructure” instead of “funding a tunnel for a privileged few.” In an interview, Ms. Chow said an unelected body like the TPA should not compete with city hall for stimulus funds, diverting money away from projects that elected members of the city council have approved. (National Post, August 24)
(Olivia Chow continued) By subsidizing Porter Airlines, the popular airline that has been flying out of the airport since 2006, the government is taking business away from Air Canada, which flies out of Pearson International Airport, and thus limiting the airline’s ability to service smaller Canadian communities, she said. (Chow continued) the respondents (of the survey) weren’t asked if they were willing to use public funds to construct the tunnel. Nor did the poll ask if respondents would rather this money go to the tunnel than to fix the Gardner or the city’s sewage system. (National Post, August 24)
Chris Day, a spokesman for Infrastructure and Transportation Minister John Baird, said Ottawa hasn't yet decided whether to fund the tunnel. "Certainly, we're not funding the EA and no decision has yet been made on whether or not we'll fund the project," Day said. (Toronto Sun, August 25)
Toronto Mayor David Miller, a vocal critic of the island airport and Porter Airlines for years, wouldn't comment on the proposed tunnel yesterday, but a spokesman for Miller's office said he was opposed. "The City of Toronto is focused on revitalizing the Waterfront and a commercial airport is not compatible with that revitalization," Stuart Green said yesterday in an email. "The Mayor also believes that the proposed $38 million in public funds should be used to benefit the broader general public and not just one private business." (Toronto Sun, August 25)
The biggest benefit of the tunnel, McQueen (Chair of the TPA) said, would be serving the growing number of Porter Airline passengers. (Toronto Sun, August 25)
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