The seemingly endless battle over Toronto's Island Airport is heating up again as a small passenger airline has been given the federal go-ahead to fly out of there.
Porter Airlines reportedly received its air operator certificate from Transport Canada this week and the company will begin taking reservations in the next few days, to the frustration of Mayor David Miller who opposes the plans.
He contends flying passenger planes out of the small airport would ruin the city's waterfront revitalization plans.
Porter plans to schedule 10 round-trip flights each weekday as well as weekend service, beginning in mid-October. Fares and schedules were to be announced shortly.
"We're very pleased to have moved beyond the approvals stage and into the final phase of our commercial launch plans," Robert Deluce, Porter's president and chief executive, said in a statement.
The company received two licences from the Canadian Transportation Agency - one allowing it to offer service within Canada, the other to offer charters. It will fly Bombardier Q400 turboprops, which are best suited for routes less than 920 kilometres. That means aside from flights to Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City, Porter could potentially fly to New York, Washington and Detroit.
The Island Airport issue is popping up just in time for the November 13 municipal election - it was also an issue in the last campaign in 2003 when Miller, in his platform, promised to block a bridge to the island.
Miller argues that the ability to give permission to companies like Porter Airlines should be in the city's hands, as opposed to a federal agency like the Toronto Port Authority. He fears the current plans of 10 flights a day will increase to many more.
"It is clear the federal government gave Porter Airlines $20 million. People should be outraged," Miller said. "It is time the port authority stopped its actions. It is time to be turned over to Toronto as it is supposed to be under the Canada Marine Act. It can't sustain itself. The federal government is using public funds to subsidize this airline. And we won't have the waterfront we need unless the port authority is turned over to the people of Toronto."
Meanwhile, it'll be even more expensive for travellers flying out of Pearson International Aiport in the New Year. On January 1, 2007 the Greater Toronto Airport Authority is upping its improvement fee for leaving to $20 from the current $15. Passengers on connecting flights will pay $8, the same as before.