The City of Toronto is offering free island ferry tickets for kids and seniors this August “to thank Torontonians for making their voices heard and celebrate the waterfront victory,” according to a statement from the city.
Mayor Olivia Chow submitted the motion as a surprise Thursday as city council wraps up its last session of the summer.
It comes days after Federal Transportation Minister Steven MacKinnon said Ottawa will not support the province’s plans to expand Billy Bishop Airport that “infringe on treasured public spaces.”
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The move rankled the Ford government, which snapped back by threatening to end its support for a proposed federal high-speed rail line slated to slash through southern Ontario.
Chow has been pushing back on the province’s plan to expand the island airport to allow jets since it was announced. After public backlash and Ottawa’s rejection, the plan was brought to a halt earlier this month.
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“Tens of thousands of Torontonians made their voices heard and the federal government listened,” Chow said. “This is one small way to thank them while making it easier for even more Torontonians to visit the island and see why it is such a precious place.”
– With files from Global News’ Colin D’Mello
Free stuff is why I keep voting for klepto-socialism.
Elbows Up.
Wouldnt expect the airport to not be extended, will just take a few more court cases
Mayor Chow is buying votes for her with the city-funded free ferry tickets?
The city has so much spare cash. How nice.
Canada lags behind every other first world country when it comes to navigating our enormous country. A second airport in the GTA is not only obviously nessesary but imperarive to not make Pearson and rhe area around it overcrowded even more. So called “tens of thousands” were listened to and millions were ignored.
It’ll be my pleasure to vote for a googly eyed pumpkin over Chow next election.
A very few whiners were listened to. Hundreds of thousands of Torontonians would appreciate an expansion of their municipal airport.
The next election will bring the voices of the majority to the front.
Can’t wait for Chow to go cap in hand to the province for more money after this and have them go “yeah, not a chance”
Chow grandstanding as usual
I live on the waterfront. It is a concrete jungle full of condos, noise from the Gardiner and from supedup cars racing on our streets all hours of the night.
The airport is the one major convenience. Its been here longer than all of us, and it will expand and grow just as the city has grown.