Posted by Mark McQueen on 12/03/2009, 06:43 AM

The City is paying $1 for the 18 acre property it wishes to acquire for the TTC yard, not $11.7 million is claimed by the subhead on this article. The parcel at Leslie and Lakeshore is not "in legal limbo". The $11.7 million relates to an earlier transfer of a score of other properties across the waterfront; these properties have nothing to do with the Leslie/Lakeshre site in question.

                        Mr. Iler's remarks regarding TPA taxes ignore the fact that the TPA is paying $6.4 million to the City as part of this macro settlement. This is the sum that the Federal Dispute Resolution Panel (a panel sought by the City of Toronto) decided in early 2009 was the appropriate PILTs figure. As Mr. Iler knows, the panel dismissed the $38 million sum.

                        As for addressing community concerns, there are several recent examples. In September, the TPA asked NAVCAN to increase the overflight ceiling for the oronto Islands to 2,250 feet. There are 15 more airport noise mitigation changes coming in the new year. All of which is known by Mr. Iler.

                        This settlement is great news for commuters.

                        Mark McQueen Chairman Toronto Port Authority

Posted by Alex Laney on 12/03/2009, 01:29 PM

What a lot of us don't like is that the Ashbridge's Bay lands were part of the City lands back in 1911 which were transferred to the THC. Then 80 years later they are transferred to the City (admittedly after filling it in) and then the TPA objected, eight years later, and wanted -$1 billion- for the lands. Which was crazy. Why Lastman caved in to that one, I don't know. He agreed to give the TPA $50 million, $11 million which is part of this deal. Nevertheless, the TPA's 'right' to them is really suspect. I think it was, and is, a pure cash grab. These are public lands, folks, not the TPA's, not the city's. Why are our governments and agencies even fighting over our property? What will the TPA do with the money? There are only two public representatives on the TPA board (city and province) while private businessmen (read Tory cronies) have seven spots.

                        Will McQueen answer that one, I wonder...

Posted by Brian Iler on 12/03/2009, 11:52 PM

Oh, Mark. Neither I nor the waterfront communities know anything about any NAVCAN request or noise mitigation measures. We find out about them only through your commment here today. What gives?!

                        The story is correct: - The Leslie/Lakeshore parcel was transferred by the City to the then Harbour Commission (then a City agency) in 1911 on condition that it could be used by the City in perpetuity for sewage treatment, and since 1946 for parks and recreation. That transfer also included a requirement that the City consent to any transfer of the property. So the TPA has no ability to use the property, nor does it have any value to the TPA, save to hold the City to ransom to force it to pay money it doesn't have based on a highly dubious settlement made by the Lastman Council.

                        The TPA should have handed it over to the TTC for a dollar without conditions, and at a minimum await the results of the upcoming Supreme Court of Canada decision on the obligation of agencies like yours to pay their fair share of taxes, before pushing for payments on that infamous settlement.

                        The TPA hits the impoverished City twice - insisting on payment of the settlement funds - totalling some $48 million over ten years - while at the same time refusing to pay its fair share of taxes. And then expects the City's fire and rescue workers to respond to emergencies at the Island Airport?

                        Just what are the TPA's plans for all that money? We can't know, because the TPA's directors - 7 of 9 appointed by the Harper government - operate in secret.

Posted by Rube Lockwood on 12/04/2009, 12:07 AM

I am so sick of the Toronto Port Authority and their cash grabs never mind the constant CONSTANT threat of a bridge or a tunnel. That is mcQueen too, isn't it?When can we be rid of the Toronto Port Authority?