Mayor Kevin Ashe yesterday pushed for the implementation of an intermodal commercial-industrial airport in Pickering with a high-frequency rail link.
Lands had been set aside for a new airport in Pickering some five decades ago. No development has taken place. Regional CEO John Henry, in an exclusive interview with Durham Post earlier, had suggested additional utilization of the lands including vertical farming (see below).
A KPMG Aviation Sector Analysis – based on data compiled between 2016 and 2017 – had initially concluded that existing airports in the GTA could be enough to handle projected growth to 2036 as long as additional expansions were realized.
“However, here we are six years later, and no substantial expansions were done to existing aviation infrastructure. As such, one might argue that the 2036 date is no longer accurate, and that we may have already reached our aviation capacity limit, considering that Canada has been leading the G7 in population growth during this span,” said Mayor Ashe.
He said the City of Pickering Council is to consider a motion on April 24 regarding Pickering Airport and Utilization of Resources.