TPA to spend $45 million on tunnel but won't pay city overdue taxes
CommunityAIR press release, January 11, 2012
The Toronto Port Authority, a Harper Government agency, today announced construction is to start in February on a pedestrian tunnel to the Island Airport.
“What an appalling use of public resources. For no public benefit.” said Brian Iler, Chair of CommunityAIR.
“If they have access to that kind of money, we insist that the TPA pay the City the longstanding taxes it owes to the City. And then, perhaps, Mayor Ford will deign to keep our libraries open.”
The tunnel that was originally projected to cost as little as $20 million (Star June 3, 2009) went up to $38 million in August 2009, and $45 million in 2010. Significantly, the TPA failed to reveal today what the current cost estimate is, or just how much in the way of public resources will be devoted to it.
According to Porter CEO Robert Deluce, this tunnel is a key component of yet more airport expansion:
“…But Mr. Deluce said the TPA isn't constrained by the existing cap, and could increase the total number of commercial slots available to 300 within three years, if a pedestrian tunnel is built by 2012 or so. [our emphasis] "It's very much dependent on improvements to infrastructure," he said after a presentation to Insight Information
Co.'s airline investment conference in Toronto [ as reported in the November 16, 2010 Globe and Mail].”
The TPA has consistently refused to pay its fair share of property taxes to the City. – in excess of $45 million is claimed by the City, according to public sources. Last March 11,CommunityAIR asked Mayor Rob Ford to “apply your considerable talent for getting things done,” and collect them. He failed to respond, and, to our knowledge, nothing has been done since then to collect.
“If the TPA has the kind of money it takes to build this tunnel, it shoulould be paying its taxes.” said Iler.
The Toronto Port Authority, a Harper Government agency, today announced construction is to start in February on a pedestrian tunnel to the Island Airport.
“What an appalling use of public resources. For no public benefit.” said Brian Iler, Chair of CommunityAIR.
“If they have access to that kind of money, we insist that the TPA pay the City the longstanding taxes it owes to the City. And then, perhaps, Mayor Ford will deign to keep our libraries open.”
The tunnel that was originally projected to cost as little as $20 million (Star June 3, 2009) went up to $38 million in August 2009, and $45 million in 2010. Significantly, the TPA failed to reveal today what the current cost estimate is, or just how much in the way of public resources will be devoted to it.
According to Porter CEO Robert Deluce, this tunnel is a key component of yet more airport expansion:
“…But Mr. Deluce said the TPA isn't constrained by the existing cap, and could increase the total number of commercial slots available to 300 within three years, if a pedestrian tunnel is built by 2012 or so. [our emphasis] "It's very much dependent on improvements to infrastructure," he said after a presentation to Insight Information
Co.'s airline investment conference in Toronto [ as reported in the November 16, 2010 Globe and Mail].”
The TPA has consistently refused to pay its fair share of property taxes to the City. – in excess of $45 million is claimed by the City, according to public sources. Last March 11,CommunityAIR asked Mayor Rob Ford to “apply your considerable talent for getting things done,” and collect them. He failed to respond, and, to our knowledge, nothing has been done since then to collect.
“If the TPA has the kind of money it takes to build this tunnel, it shoulould be paying its taxes.” said Iler.
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