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Shagi Mural Unveiled at Port of Toronto Cruise Ship Terminal
On Friday, September 20, PortsToronto unveiled Shagi, a new mural at the Port of Toronto Cruise Ship Terminal created by Anishinabek artist Que Rock.
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On-Water Education and Promoting Safe Boating in the Toronto Harbour
This summer, PortsToronto and the Toronto Police Service Marine Unit (TPS Marine Unit) are conducting on-water education and enforcement in the Toronto Harbour in order to reinforce regulations related to speed and noise limits, licensing requirements and on-board safety equipment.
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PortsToronto Releases Ninth Annual ESG Report
PortsToronto is proud to present its ninth-annual Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) report.
Learn more about our 2023 ESG report
PortsToronto’s “Duckling Docks” Return to Toronto Harbour
Today, PortsToronto crews deployed six Duckling Docks in the Toronto Harbour. This project began in 2021 in response to reports about a lack of resting places for ducklings along the Toronto waterfront.
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PortsToronto and Toronto Marine Emergency Response Council (TMERC) host 26th Annual Marine Safety Day
On Monday, May 13, PortsToronto and its Toronto Marine Emergency Response Council (TMERC) partners hosted the 26th annual Marine Safety Day at the Port of Toronto’s Cruise Ship Terminal.
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New Permanent Exhibit Unveiled at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Commemorate Centennial of Royal Canadian Air Force and Airport’s 85th Anniversary
On Wednesday, April 24, a new permanent exhibit was unveiled at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Military Institute (RCMI) and RCAF Foundation to commemorate the RCAF centennial and 85th anniversary of the airport.
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PortsToronto celebrates the first “Saltie” of the year with the 163rd annual Top Hat Ceremony
Spring shipping season kicks off with the arrival of the MV Wigeon into the Port of Toronto on Wednesday, March 27. Since 1861, the Captain of the first “saltie” to arrive at the Port of Toronto has been crowned with a top hat – now an antique hat more than 200-years old – at the annual Top Hat Ceremony. The annual ceremony also celebrates the commencement of the 2024 shipping season.
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PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program
The PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program employs trash trapping technology and solutions-based research to tackle plastic pollution and protect Toronto’s waters for future generations.
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PortsToronto’s Trash Trapping Program Removed 43kg and Nearly 63,000 Small Pieces of Plastic Pollution from Toronto Harbour in 2023
PortsToronto and program partner the University of Toronto Trash Team (U of T Trash Team) are proud to report that the Trash Trapping Program’s network of trash traps, which includes eight Seabins and two WasteSharks, removed 43kg of litter, including 62,996 pieces of small plastic pollution from the Toronto Harbour over the course of five months.
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Port of Toronto Ship Channel Bridge – Rehabilitation Project
In March 2022, PortsToronto in partnership with the City of Toronto began a major rehabilitation program to modernize the ageing Ship Channel Lift Bridge, a vital piece of infrastructure supporting Toronto’s supply chain.
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Making Access to Billy Bishop Airport Electric
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is Canada’s ninth-busiest airport, and fifth-busiest offering service to the United States. PortsToronto owns and operates YTZ, while Nieuport Aviation Infrastructure Partners owns and operates the airport’s passenger terminal. Located a short walk from downtown, YTZ represents a unique offering for residents and visitors to Canada’s largest city, making it easier for business and leisure travelers to access the vibrant heart of Toronto.
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Spotlight: Black Aviation Professionals Network
In February 2023, Billy Bishop Airport is partnering with the Black Aviation Professionals Network (BAPN) – a non-profit organization that aims to encourage and promote Black talent in the field of aviation and aerospace within Canada.
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PortsToronto Goes OFF Limits with the Canadian Association for Girls in Science and the Marilyn Bell I Electric Ferry
PortsToronto was honoured to welcome Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS) scientist Dr. Larissa Vingilis-Jaremko to the Port of Toronto for an episode of its inspiring OFF Limits video series. Launched this summer to celebrate the organization’s 30th anniversary, the series takes viewers behind-the-scenes to exciting locations with inspiring STEM role models.
We sat down with Dr. Larissa to talk about her experience leading CAGIS over the past 30 years, and what she learned from her visit to the Port of Toronto.
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Maanjidowin: The Gathering
The Maanjidowin sculpture, which sits at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the dock wall overlooking the Western Gap, was commissioned by PortsToronto in recognition of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and their relationship to the land, air and water on which Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport now operates. The sculpture features three mythical fishers – Mukwa-kwe (Bear), Nigig-kwe (Otter) and Migizi-kwe (Eagle) – who have come to the estuaries and islands along Toronto’s Lake Ontario shoreline to fish.
The sculpture was created by David M. General, Mohawk Nation, Wolf Clan of the Six Nations, who is known for blending Indigenous and modernist styles and typically working with stone.
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Billy Bishop Airport Marilyn Bell I is now Canada’s First Truly Zero Emission, Lithium-Ion Electric Ferry
The Marilyn Bell I ferry, which connects passengers, vehicles and supplies to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, is now the first electric ferry service in Canada to be powered by a zero-emission, lithium-ion power and propulsion system containing no diesel components.
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Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Celebrates the Return of Commercial Airline Service
Billy Bishop Airport’s staff, stakeholders and government partners recognized the conclusion of a difficult period for the aviation industry by welcoming back passengers and getting back to the business of making connections and supporting Toronto’s economy.
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Grand Trees at the Outer Harbour Marina
Our very own Outer Harbour Marina was recently the happy recipient of a tree and shrub planting initiative coordinated through a partnership between PortsToronto, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and Grand Trees - an organization founded by grandparents concerned about the effect of previous generations’ neglect of the environment on their children and grandchildren.
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Tagging Trash – Revealing the pathways of floating litter in the Toronto Harbour
A new study launched on April 26 by the University of Toronto Trash Team aims to reveal the pathways of floating litter in an effort to learn more about where floating litter goes.
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Beaver Hat Ceremony
A sure sign of spring in Toronto: A 160-year-old tradition at the Port of Toronto continues with the Beaver Hat Ceremony.
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Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Celebrates 80 Years of Rich History as it Reaches Milestone Anniversary
This weekend marked 80 years since the first commercial passenger flight landed at Toronto’s City Airport in September 1939. Passengers and partners alike gathered at Billy Bishop Airport to reminisce and celebrate 80 years of rich history, hard work and success on the occasion of this milestone anniversary.
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Dredging Season Begins in Toronto’s Keating Channel
PortsToronto will be hard at work over the next twelve weeks dredging thousands of tonnes of sediment which has built up where the Don River empties into the Keating Channel. The annual process, which involves scooping material from the bottom of the channel using a barge and excavator, is imperative to prevent siltation and debris from spilling into the harbour. Further, a build-up could cause the river to back up and result in flooding.
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Crosslake Fibre Completes Installation of Submarine Fibre Optic Cable
On August 24, PortsToronto was pleased to host Crosslake Fibre as they celebrated the completion of a submarine fibre optic cable bridging Lake Ontario between Toronto and Buffalo, New York. While submarine cables have existed for hundreds of years, and dozens run across our oceans, Crosslake Fibre’s project is a first in the Great Lakes and provides critical telecommunications infrastructure for our region.
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The M/V Victory II Marks Inaugural Voyage on the Great Lakes And First Visit into the Port of Toronto
PortsToronto welcomed the M/V Victory II, a 200-passenger luxury cruise ship, into the Port of Toronto, marking the ship's first visit to Toronto and inaugural voyage on the Great Lakes.
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PortsToronto’s Eighth-Annual Sail-In Cinema™ Draws Thousands to Toronto’s Waterfront Over Two Nights
PortsToronto’s eighth annual Sail-in Cinema drew 8,000 movie fans and over 50 boats to Sugar Beach for the two-night free film festival. From August 10 to August 11, audiences enjoyed Labyrinth and Space Jam on a state-of-the-art three-storey, double-sided floating screen anchored to a barge in Lake Ontario.
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200 Harbour Tour Boat Crew and Officers Join PortsToronto to Prepare for a Safe Summer on the Water at Marine Safety Day
As part of a spring safety tradition at PortsToronto, approximately 200 crew and officers who will be working aboard the summer tour boats that operate in Toronto’s Harbour received hands-on emergency preparedness training at Marine Safety Day. This annual training is hosted with Toronto Marine Emergency Response Council partners, and ensures that tour boat crew and officers are equipped with the valuable skills required to deal with any emergency situation, should one arise.
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Celebrating 225 Years of Port Activity
For 225 years the port has served as a unique and essential piece of transportation infrastructure for the City of Toronto.
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PortsToronto Releases its Third Annual Sustainability Report
On March 1, 2018, PortsToronto released its third annual Sustainability Report, an important document that we provide to our stakeholders, government partners and community to report on our initiatives and progress with regard to conducting our businesses in a sustainable manner.
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PortsToronto 2017 Noise Management Report for Billy Bishop Airport Available Online
The 2017 Noise Management Report for Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has been released and reflects an increase in complaints year-over-year but an overall 43% decrease in complaints since 2013. The report compiles all noise data submitted to the airport’s Noise Management Office over the course of the year and highlights the airport’s noise-mitigation efforts which include investments in infrastructure and policies to reduce noise.
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Connecting to Love
An airport is a gateway to destinations near and far, but for Casey Yeung and Howard Yeung, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is what kept them connected, even when their lives were far apart.
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St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program Takes Flight at Billy Bishop Airport
Travel can be hectic – especially during the holiday season – so Billy Bishop Airport has partnered with volunteers at the St. John Ambulance (SJA) Therapy Dog Program to bring stress relief to travellers.
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PortsToronto Commences Dredging Activities
PortsToronto is in the process of removing up to 40,000 tons of debris and sediment from the mouth of the Don River, with the goal of preventing future flooding and stemming the flow of unwanted material into Toronto’s Harbour which can pose a risk to boater navigation and public safety.
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PortsToronto’s Bees Wrap Up Another Buzz-y Season
The PortsToronto bees are wrapping up another great season harvesting honey in the harbour! This week, more than 40 kg of honey made by 200,000 hardworking bees was harvested from the hives as the summer comes to a close.
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Thousands Join PortsToronto for Sail-In Cinema’s™ on Toronto’s Waterfront
Despite stormy weather that postponed the kick-off of PortsToronto’s seventh annual Sail-in Cinema, more than 11,500 movie fans came to Sugar Beach – by land and boat – for the three-day event. From August 18 to August 20, audiences enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Edward Scissorhands on a four-storey, two-sided, floating screen anchored to a barge in Lake Ontario.
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Visitors Get Behind the Scenes at Billy Bishop Airport
On May 27, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport welcomed more than 6,500 visitors through its doors to tour the airport as part of Doors Open Toronto, presented by Great Gulf. This marks the second year that Billy Bishop Airport participated in the city-wide event showcasing Toronto’s buildings, heritage, culture and architecture.
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Billy Bishop Airport joins Southern Ontario Airport Network as Air Travel Demand Grows
With the demand for air travel in southern Ontario expected to reach approximately 110 million passengers by 2043, Billy Bishop Airport has joined ten of the region’s most commercially significant airports to launch the Southern Ontario Airport Network (SOAN) to ensure this growing demand is supported.
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New Ground Run-up Enclosure is Officially Open at Billy Bishop Airport
On April 19, PortsToronto officially opened its Ground Run-up Enclosure (GRE) at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Billy Bishop Airport) with The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport in attendance. The new three-sided, open-top facility will accommodate commercial aircraft at the airport and is designed to dampen the noise associated with high-power aircraft engine ground run-up operations.
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PortsToronto Celebrates the Arrival of the First Ship of the Season with the 156th Annual Beaver Hat Ceremony
The arrival of the MV Brant this week marked the beginning of the 2017 navigation season at the Port of Toronto. As the first ocean-going ship into the Port, the MV Brant and its crew took part in the 156th annual Beaver Hat Ceremony.The Beaver Hat Ceremony has a rich history with the Port of Toronto. Every year since 1861, PortsToronto’s Harbour Master has “crowned” the captain of the first ship into the Port with a century-old silk and beaver top hat.
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Skytrax World Airport Awards Ranks Billy Bishop Airport One of North America’s Best
On March 14, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport was recognized as one of the best airports in North America at the Skytrax World Airport Awards in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The airport was ranked the ninth best regional airport in North America, making it one of only two regional airports in Canada to be recognized in the category. This is the fourth year the airport has received this award. This year, Billy Bishop Airport was also ranked the ninth best airport globally in the under 5 million passenger category.
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Billy Bishop Airport Named Best Airport in North America
On March 6, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport was named Best Airport in North America (over two million passenger category) by Airports Council International’s (ACI) 2016 Airport Service Quality Awards. Billy Bishop Airport was also named Best Airport in North America (2-5 million passenger category) and tied for second place for Best Airport in the World (2-5 million passenger category).
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PortsToronto Releases its Second Annual Sustainability Report
On February 23, 2017, PortsToronto released its second annual Sustainability Report, which provides an overview of our organization’s focus on sustainable initiatives and practices that protect the environment, invest in the community and grow Toronto’s economy.
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Step back in time at PortsToronto’s historical photo exhibit
The Making Connections to Toronto’s Waterfront – A Historical Retrospective photo exhibit will next be installed in the lobby of the CN Tower from December 16, 2016, to March 31, 2017. This will be the fifth time the exhibit has been installed in the downtown core with Brookfield Place, Adelaide Centre, 18 Bremner and WaterPark Place all hosting the exhibit in the past.
Learn more about the Exhibit
PortsToronto 2016 Noise Management Report for Billy Bishop Airport Available Online
On February 2, PortsToronto, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, released the airport's 2016 annual Noise Management Report, a compilation of all noise data submitted to the airport’s Noise Management Office over the course of the year.
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Make your holiday travel easy at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
December is a busy time at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport as travellers head home to spend the holidays with their loved ones or take off on a winter escape. As the airport experiences increased passenger volumes, the following tips will help keep travellers in the holiday spirit
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Billy Bishop Airport Airfield Rehabilitation Project Marks Important Milestone
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.
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Instagram Takeover Provides a Glimpse of Life as a Pilot at Billy Bishop Airport
With so many great photographs coming in through our social media channels, it seemed only fair to shine the spotlight on our airport’s un-official photographers.
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PortsToronto Commences Dredging Activities
PortsToronto is in the process of removing up to 40,000 tons of debris and sediment from the mouth of the Don River, with the goal of preventing future flooding and stemming the flow of unwanted material into Toronto’s Harbour which can pose a risk to boater navigation and public safety.
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PortsToronto Gets Buzz-y Helping Bring Back the Bees
This past summer, PortsToronto installed urban hives to support the local bee population. With Ontario’s colonies in rapid decline, the bees need help now more than ever.
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Celebrating Canadian Sports Hero Marilyn Bell
At 8:15 PM on September 9, 1954, an exhausted and nearly numb 16-year-old woman touched the breakwater at Toronto’s Boulevard Club on the seawall along Humber Bay. After nearly 21 hours in freezing water battling five-metre waves, nausea, darkness and vampire-like lamprey eels, Marilyn Bell had done the impossible – she had swum 52 kilometres across Lake Ontario from New York State to Toronto.
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De-icing at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
With colder winter temperatures comes the need to de-ice aircraft—a common safety precaution that involves spraying aircraft with de-icing and anti-icing fluids that help to prevent or remove the build-up of ice and snow, and ensure a safe take-off for aircraft.
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Annual Ice and Cold Water Rescue Training
This week, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Fire Department held its annual joint ice and cold water rescue training alongside Toronto Fire Services and Toronto Police Services Marine Unit.
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Cruising season sails to a close at Port of Toronto
The arrival of the MV Saint Laurent in October marked the close of another great cruising season at the Port of Toronto. Welcoming nearly 5,000 passengers on 13 cruise ships from around the world, PortsToronto saw cruise visits nearly double this year compared to 2014.
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Making Connections to Toronto’s Waterfront – a Historical Retrospective
May 24 to June 7, join PortsToronto for our Making Connections to Toronto’s Waterfront – a Historical Retrospective photo exhibit at WaterPark Place (located at 10 Bay Street), which will showcase the incredible transformation that the city’s waterfront has undergone over the last century.
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Billy Bishop Airport Firefighters Participate in Annual Aircraft Rescue Recertification
Each year Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport’s firefighters take part in intensive, hands-on aircraft rescue re-certification training at Toronto’s Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute. Throughout the re-certification training, the Fire Chief and all 18 members of the airport’s firefighting crew participate in simulated emergency scenarios customized to replicate the runway conditions, surrounding environment and aircraft commonly encountered at Billy Bishop Airport.
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PortsToronto CEO Welcomes HMCS Toronto Commander to Billy Bishop Airport
On Sunday, February 8, PortsToronto CEO Geoffrey Wilson welcomed Commander Jason Armstrong, Commanding Officer Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Toronto, along with his Lieutenant Commander, Sheldon Gillis, and Chief Petty Officer First Class, Gilles Grégoire, to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. The visit to the airport served as the company’s final stop in their namesake tour of Toronto following their ship’s return from a seven-month mission oversees in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. During his visit to Billy Bishop Airport, Commander Armstrong also took the helm of the airport’s Marilyn Bell ferry, expertly transporting passengers across the Western Gap.
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The TPA’s Role in Shaping Toronto’s Waterfront
Toronto’s South Core is home to business headquarters, a thriving entertainment district and some of the most rapid development in North America today. It’s also a major transportation hub, with Union Station, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Toronto’s Harbour providing access for both people and products into the heart of the City, by rail, plane and boat.
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Toronto Port Authority Invests $150,000 in New Green Spaces for Downtown Schools
Over the next three years, a $150,000 investment made by the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) in Evergreen's Children's Program will help turn six of Toronto's downtown school grounds into dynamic, outdoor classrooms where kids can re-connect with and learn about nature and, most importantly, play in the great outdoors.
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Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport helps to give homeless animals a second chance
This year, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (BBTCA) helped to transport 25 sick, injured or homeless animals to Toronto. By sponsoring Pilots N Paws Canada and waiving landing fees for its volunteer pilots, BBTCA helped these animals find their second chance at a happy and healthy life.
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Toronto Port Authority Removes 33,000 Tons of Material from Don River to Aid in Flood Prevention
The Toronto Port Authority (TPA) is in the process of removing up to 33,000 tons of debris and sediment from the mouth of the Don River, with the goal of preventing future flooding and the flow of unwanted material into Toronto’s Harbour, which can pose a risk to boater navigation and public safety.
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Bullfrog Power lists TPA as one of Canada’s top green power leaders
One of the ways the TPA reduces our environmental footprint is by choosing 100 per cent green energy from Bullfrog Power. The TPA is one of Bullfrog’s green power leaders, ranking 7th among the top corporate supporters of clean, green energy in the country.
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TPA Plants Garden to Support the Monarch Butterfly
As part of the Toronto Port Authority (TPA)’s ongoing efforts to protect the environment and preserve natural habitats, on September 19, 2014, the TPA planted a butterfly garden at the Outer Harbour Marina, consisting of nearly 100 milkweed plants to support the Monarch Butterfly.
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Dog rescued from BBTCA ferry ramp finds a happy ending with ferry operator
On June 4, 2014, the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (BBTCA) fire rescue crew responded to an unusual call for help at the mainland ferry terminal. Perched underneath the ferry ramp was a damp and frightened eight-month-old bullmastiff puppy. Using the Jaws of Life, the fire crew saved the pup—unharmed, but shaken.
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Digging Up History
In 2012 work began on a pedestrian tunnel to link Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (BBTCA) to the mainland. But this wouldn’t be the first time that a tunnel of this sort was undertaken. The difference this time was that steam power would not be used to till the soil adjacent to the Western Gap.
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