Toronto (August 25, 2015) – On August 26, 2015, AECOM – the consultants engaged by PortsToronto to conduct an Environmental Assessment (EA) to study the social, economic and environmental impacts of the Porter Proposal to introduce jet aircraft at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and related 200-metre land mass extension of the main runway – will commence telephone and in-person intercept surveys of Toronto residents and visitors. These surveys, along with feedback received through the public, agency and stakeholder consultation process, are an important part of the EA. The EA is being completed at the request of Toronto City Council which, on April 1, 2014, passed a motion that required PortsToronto to provide additional information, including an EA, in order to inform future discussions on Porter’s Proposal.
The surveys are intended to capture views and perspectives from a number of Toronto residents and visitors regarding people’s use and enjoyment of the Toronto waterfront. The surveys will complement other research gathered for the socio-economic component of the EA including other key stakeholder interviews and research. The telephone and intercept surveys will include questions that will yield information to help better understand how residents of, and visitors to, Toronto currently use and regard the waterfront area, as well as how the Porter Proposal might affect this use and enjoyment should the proposal to introduce jet aircraft be approved. It is important that a number of the surveys take place during the month of August when usage of the waterfront is at its peak. It is expected that surveys will conclude by mid-September.
The telephone surveys will be conducted with a random sample of Toronto residents and will seek to reach people on both land lines and cellular telephones. The in-person intercept surveys will be conducted at a variety of locations in the waterfront area to reach a number of business and recreational users, commuters, visitors and local residents.