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Pickering Airport Lands

In the 1960s, the master plan for Toronto Pearson was reviewed and it was decided that development of a second major airport in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) was necessary. The federal government identified 7,530 hectares of land in Pickering, Markham, and Uxbridge, now known as the Pickering Airport Lands as the site for a possible new airport.

In 1972, the federal government began expropriating land within the boundaries of the Pickering Lands. In the early 70s, the federal government again conducted extensive consultation which concluded that a second major airport in the GTA was necessary. In 1975, the project was halted due to the provincial government’s decision to withhold essential services to the site. Since this time, the land has been owned and retained by Transport Canada and the farm properties have been leased back to farmers and maintained by Public Works & Government Services.

In 1998, the regulatory process to officially designate the Lands as an airport site under the Aeronautics Act was initiated. This ensured that development around the Lands would be compatible with a potential airport.

In 2001, Transport Canada requested the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to conduct the interim planning required for a future airport in Pickering. As part of this work, the GTAA embarked on a comprehensive public planning process that involved all relevant stakeholders, including the public and local municipalities. The GTAA completed this work after three years of study and consultation and released its Pickering Airport Draft Plan Report in late 2004.

In 2005, Transport Canada identified the need for some work to determine whether there is a future need for an airport on the Pickering lands, as well as the timing required for development.

Since that time, Transport Canada has coordinated further study regarding whether the airports serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe area have the capacity to accommodate future air traffic demand. To complete this work, Transport Canada retained the GTAA to undertake the Needs Assessment Study, which has been presented to the federal government in March 2009, and is currently being reviewed. Transport Canada will conduct a comprehensive review to determine the next steps for the Pickering lands.

The federal government will make the decision regarding the future of the Pickering Lands, if an airport will be built and what type of facility will be necessary.

For more information, please contact Transport Canada at 1-888-526-5673, www.tc.gc.ca/ontario/eng/pickering/menu.htm .