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Mayor, environment group praise Pickering airport plan drop

After more than 50 years of discussion, the question of whether to build an airport in Pickering has been settled. The Government of Canada had announced plans to transfer high-conservation-value lands to Parks Canada to support the expansion of Rouge National Urban Park.

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe acknowledged the decision and emphasized the importance of clarity. “For over 50 years, the question of whether to proceed with building an airport in Pickering has been a subject of spirited discussion and debate within our community,” Ashe said.

Pickering officials plan to participate in consultations regarding the future use of the lands. “The city looks forward to collaborating with the federal government throughout the planning process and actively participating in the forthcoming consultations on the site’s future uses,” Ashe stated.

He noted that the city has long sought an answer from the federal government. “In this span, we have consistently advocated for clarity and decisive action from the federal government and appreciate the thoughtful deliberation invested in making this determination,” Ashe said. “We can now move forward with confidence, focusing on the city’s core priorities as we work to build a vibrant and prosperous future for our residents, businesses, and visitors.”

The mayor also commended the federal commitment to conservation. “As host to a significant portion of the park, we commend this commitment to advancing conservation efforts and enhancing one of the GTA’s most cherished natural assets,” he said.

Environmental Group Overjoyed

Wildlands League, an environmental group involved in the creation of Rouge, Canada’s first National Urban Park, said it has been campaigning for this expansion since RNUP was announced.

“We are ecstatic!”, exclaims the League’s Executive Director, Jan Sumner. “Not only for Nature and our climate but for the many individuals and groups that fought for this land for over 50 years and the First Nations who first called this area home. This means that, instead of an unnecessary airport and out- of-date urban sprawl, the GTA gets a huge expansion of Rouge and its benefits for species, climate and communities. Congratulations to everyone who made this happen,” Sumner continued.

The lands are ‘precious’ according to Dave Pearce, Wildlands League’s Senior Forest Conservation Manager.  “They serve as an important corridor providing linkages for roaming birds and animals from the Rouge to headwater streams and the Oak Ridges Moraine,” Pearce explains.

He said many of the area farmers became advocated for a permanent transfer to RNUP as the obvious solution. Rouge provides for the maintenance and restoration of ecological integrity (EI) and also secures long-term farm leases while increasing their contribution to nature and climate resilience. This approach will be extended to the former Pickering Lands.

“One of the challenges is resources,” explains Pearce. “Parks Canada needs capacity to deal with the complexity of a park adjacent to seven million Canadians. It also needs to complete thorough indigenous engagement that will respect rights and aspirations, including co-governance. We’d like to see the necessary funding commitments to support full inclusion of all the Pickering Lands subject to reconciliation needs,” concludes Pearce.

“Based on the 137 ecological projects in Rouge National Urban Park over the past decade, restoring 91 hectares of wetland, 142 hectares of forest, and more than 800 metres of streams, expanding RNUP is how to secure the future, while removing any uncertainty that the province or municipalities can foreclose on nature,” concludes Sumner, “This area once slated for an airport couldn’t have made a better landing.”

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