On November 3, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport officially re-opened the fully reconstructed runway 06-24 following an extensive rehabilitation of the runway earlier this summer. To mark this major milestone in the Billy Bishop Airfield Rehabilitation Project, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held with Billy Bishop Airport’s Executive Vice-President Gene Cabral and representatives from Porter Airlines, Greater Toronto Airways, Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), Toronto Island Pilot’s Association (TIPA), WSP Canada Inc. and Pave-Al Limited.
 


This significant three-year rehabilitation initiative is necessary to replace existing aging civil and electrical infrastructure to modernize the airport. This work also includes replacing the runway lighting to energy-efficient LED lighting, restoration of the runway and reconfiguring taxiways.  
 
Special procedures such as the barging of materials and supplies were implemented to ensure minimal impacts on local residents as well as travellers. Additionally, given that a portion of construction activities took place during night-time hours when the airport is closed to air traffic, PortsToronto implemented a number of measures to minimize the community impact, including limitations on construction vehicle access and construction-related noise, as well as directing construction lighting downward and away from neighbourhoods.
 
These initiatives to modernize the airport will ensure it continues to serve as an economic engine for the city, provide much needed aviation service and provide efficient service to the 2.5 million passengers who travel through the airport each year.
 
Visit the Billy Bishop Airport Airfield Rehabilitation page to learn more about the project.