Proposed Airport Lands

Removing land from agricultural use so it can be paved over for airport runways has huge ramifications beyond the airport lands themselves. Additionally, the lands adjacent to the airport would likely be converted for commercial development and services to support the airport. And the influence of this development would expand further than the pavement, as the airways over landing strips and flight paths pollute the air with noise and physical pollution thus putting at risk critical human and wildlife habitat. The noise pollution from air traffic would impact the enjoyment of the recreational lands within the range of the flight path landing zones (shown in blue on the map).

Five decades after the land was expropriated, the federal government announced on January 27, 2025 cancellation of plans for an airport and instead will transfer most of the remaining approximately 3500 hectares to the Rouge National Urban Park. A tip of the hat to our partner organization Land Over Landings for their persistent work on this issue.

Long time GDA board member Brian Buckles [left] congratulates former Member of Parliament and champion of the Rouge National Urban Park Pauline Browse (right) and former Mayor of Toronto and federal Member of Parliament David Crombie (centre).

The press conference was attended by 4 cabinet ministers, several sitting members of parliament, many dignitaries, and a room packed with families who had lost their land to expropriation and fought to prevent an airport from being built on valuable farmland.