Dear Brian,

I have read your letter to the TPA Chair dated March 22, 2011, and am responding on behalf of the TPA. 
 
The TPA is not going to speculate on the previous Federal Government's rationale for the calculation of its 2005 Bridge settlement payment, nor on Mr. Tasse's interpretation of it in his 2006 report to Transport Canada.  The settlement agreement has no relevance to the matter at hand as there are no restrictions (other than the noise constraints in the Tripartite Agreement) on the TPA's authority to make its own determinations, based as it is upon expert advice, as to the number of slots at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

In 2005, the TPA determined that the maximum number of Slots at the Billy Bishop Airport would be set at 120 for a period of Porter's start-up. That determination was based on factors relating to the operations of the Billy Bishop Airport at that time, including the number of Slots to be reserved for Porter vs. made available to other carriers during that period as approved by Transport Canada and the Competition Bureau.  That period has expired as you know; the details of our capacity assessment process has been well publicized over the past two years.  The validity of this process has also been confirmed by a Federal Court Judge following a 2010 judicial review.

The Federal Government has not imposed a cap on the number of slots at the Billy Bishop Airport, whether as part of the Bridge settlement or otherwise, nor has TPA agreed to one. The number of slots which TPA determines to be appropriate at the Billy Bishop Airport from time to time relates to the relevant Capacity Parameters and the fulfillment of our mandate, not the Bridge settlement.
 
I would appreciate it if you would share these facts with your colleagues.  Thank you, as always, for giving us the opportunity to set the record straight.

Geoffrey Wilson, President & Chief Executive Officer
Toronto Port Authority