New Report by Richard Florida Confirms Benefits of Downtown Airports

On Tuesday, January 24, PortsToronto published a new report authored by respected urbanist and University of Toronto Professor, Dr. Richard Florida. The report, titled, Toronto’s Downtown Airport: A Powerful Economic Asset in the City’s Urban Core, focuses on Billy Bishop Airport and its impact in shaping Toronto’s recovery and opportunity. It notes that city airports, like Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, support businesses, provide connectivity and unlock opportunities that make a city world class.

“There are few better symbols of Toronto’s aspirations as an economically and socially diverse global city than having a leading-edge, environmentally sustainable airport that fits seamlessly into the waterfront and serves as a vital anchor for its vibrant downtown,” states Dr. Richard Florida. “Both the city and [Billy Bishop Airport] are at an inflection point in terms of optimizing infrastructure and making the intellectual investment to be world-class. The airport is an undeniable asset to the City of Toronto and region and should be regarded as such,” he adds.

The report comes at a time when both Toronto and its downtown airport are at an inflection point. Both are emerging from the pandemic, and as thought goes into what the needs of Toronto will be in the coming decades, consideration should also be given to the role Billy Bishop Airport can play in building the global city that Toronto aspires to be.  

Click here to read the report.

In Addition, on January 24, PortsToronto held a sold-out event hosted by the Toronto Region Board of Trade featuring a discussion between Richard Florida, PortsToronto CEO, RJ Steenstra and Nieuport CEO, Neil Pakey about the benefits of a downtown airport. Watch a recording of this conversation here.