Graham Churchill

Urbanist interested in better growth. Neighbourhoods. Biomimicry. Piazzas everywhere. Make transit networks the city.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

At a time when Canada is fighting to help Ukraine retain its democracy against the rule of an autocrat, we have lost sight that we are losing our democracy to autocracy right here in Ontario with the Ford Govt.
https://t.co/b3HnCmYyQz

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Both Porter and Air Canada already fly out of both airports. Pearson just broke ground on a $3B+ expansion. We don’t need a $5B lake-fill project at Billy Bishop that will undermine Ontario Place, the Islands, the Port Lands, and the waterfront.

This push exists because Nieuport Aviation (backed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management) bought the terminal from Porter in 2015 — and it’s not delivering. Traffic remains well below pre-COVID peaks (~1.75M vs 2.8M). Ford’s former Deputy Chief of Staff, Mark Lawson, has been lobbying hard for Nieuport and he has Ford’s ear.

A better idea: Swing bridges on the Eastern + Western Gaps for ped/bike/trolley access. This would open up the entire waterfront from the Beaches to the Humber. Turn the Islands (tied to the Port Lands) into a world-class car-free park like NYC’s Central Park or Chicago’s Millennium Park — year-round tourism, recreation, no more ferry bottlenecks.

Waterfronts are for people, not runways. Toronto has aspired for decades to be a great city but consistently screws it up. Let’s finally do something to make Toronto a city we can be proud of.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@Rob_Oliphant Why can’t we have this instead?

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Dear Premier Ford,

Great cities have unique places people want to visit. Toronto has few of them. But it does have two, or it could: the Toronto Islands and the Harbourfront. Both will be destroyed by expanding Billy Bishop airport.

If you want to make Toronto a great place people want to visit, put a train/passenger bridge on the Eastern and Western Gaps and put in a circular tram to go around it. It would turn the harbour into an amazing playground with the best view in the world and make Toronto a must visit destination.

Don’t destroy Toronto with an island airport.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@beauti_animals Seattle.

[Riley Donovan @valdombre]

PM Carney says Canada is in a recession in part due to immigration cuts tanking population growth. He points out "household incomes" are rising.

Startling admission of what restrictionists have always said: mass immigration juices GDP while dragging down standard of living.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@Fast_LaneZombie @gbelgraver @JessicaBellTO @BarbF51643040 They may have changed their story after the fact, but I know for certain they did were not and did not.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@StephenPunwasi True. Immigration has masked the structural issues.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@Graff2023 Doug Ford did not even consult with Air Canada on the Billy Bishop expansion.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

I agree; sharp house price inflation does significant damage. However, it is important to understand why prices rise sharply—population growth exceeding the ability to build.

Population can grow very quickly but house building has a built in speed limit. Some projects can take years to build and in that time the market can change dramatically. Builders don’t like to get too far ahead of that. They hold back and “land bank”deliver in stages.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@gbelgraver @Fast_LaneZombie @JessicaBellTO @BarbF51643040 I doubt the planners were even consulted. Ford did not even consult with Air Canada before announcing it—and they’re a major airline operating out of BB!

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@JoshMatlow @AnnJuurinen Doug Ford did not even tell Air Canada of his plan to expanding Billy Bishop. Think about that.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

An expanded BB will be no better. $6B just for the runway. Once you add the additional infrastructure for a larger BB airport, it would be a lot more. Have you ever noticed the jet fuel storage tanks on the way into Pearson? This plan would totally ruin Toronto island and the harbour.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@PHfloor Exactly. Where do these people learn economics?

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@gbelgraver @Fast_LaneZombie @JessicaBellTO @BarbF51643040 An expanded airport will require expanded infrastructure to get to it. There is simply no capacity. A better idea would be to join the subway directly to Pearson.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Expanding Billy Bishop Airport is a terrible idea for lots of reasons:

1) It will create a traffic congestion mess much worse than the one we already have downtown today. There is simply no capacity to accommodate a larger airport. There are 7.5million people in the GTA. Billy Bishop is only useful to those who live downtown.

2) Great cities have great parks and places where people want to visit. Expanding the airport will destroy Toronto Island Park, the Harbourfront, and Ontario Place.

A better idea would be to put a pedestrian/rail bridge over both the Eastern and Western gaps and put a circular trolley line in linking Harbourfront, the Islands, and the Port lands. This could turn Toronto into a must visit global destination—the harbour as a playground.

3) It makes little business sense. Airports become attractive through their network effect. Billy Bishop undermines Pearson’s ability to create that network effect.

Don’t take my word for it. Ask Air Canada, who operates out of BB. They were never consulted on Ford’s plan.
The only reason they operate there is to compete with Porter Airlines.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@RonAJenkins A better idea than an airport expansion.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Dear Premier Ford,

Great cities have unique places people want to visit. Toronto has few of them. But it does have two, or it could: the Toronto Islands and the Harbourfront. Both will be destroyed by expanding Billy Bishop airport.

If you want to make Toronto a great place people want to visit, put a train/passenger bridge on the Eastern and Western Gaps and put in a circular tram to go around it. It would turn the harbour into an amazing playground with the best view in the world and make Toronto a must visit destination.

Don’t destroy Toronto with an island airport.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@Penalosa_G Here is how to make Toronto way more attractive.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Dear Premier Ford,

Great cities have unique places people want to visit. Toronto has few of them. But it does have two, or it could: the Toronto Islands and the Harbourfront. Both will be destroyed by expanding Billy Bishop airport.

If you want to make Toronto a great place people want to visit, put a train/passenger bridge on the Eastern and Western Gaps and put in a circular tram to go around it. It would turn the harbour into an amazing playground with the best view in the world and make Toronto a must visit destination.

Don’t destroy Toronto with an island airport.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@LFairclo Here is how to make Toronto a world class destination.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Dear Premier Ford,

Great cities have unique places people want to visit. Toronto has few of them. But it does have two, or it could: the Toronto Islands and the Harbourfront. Both will be destroyed by expanding Billy Bishop airport.

If you want to make Toronto a great place people want to visit, put a train/passenger bridge on the Eastern and Western Gaps and put in a circular tram to go around it. It would turn the harbour into an amazing playground with the best view in the world and make Toronto a must visit destination.

Don’t destroy Toronto with an island airport.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@0x_m3rlin @EricDLombardi It’s more accessible “for most people.” Who are these people? The GTA has also the 7.5M people. Billy Bishop Airport is not accessible to most.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

@EricDLombardi Here is how to fix the mess.

[Graham Churchill @GraChurch]

Dear Premier Ford,

Great cities have unique places people want to visit. Toronto has few of them. But it does have two, or it could: the Toronto Islands and the Harbourfront. Both will be destroyed by expanding Billy Bishop airport.

If you want to make Toronto a great place people want to visit, put a train/passenger bridge on the Eastern and Western Gaps and put in a circular tram to go around it. It would turn the harbour into an amazing playground with the best view in the world and make Toronto a must visit destination.

Don’t destroy Toronto with an island airport.