Supporters of Buttonville published in our news media

Source: Reprint from yorkregion.com

Regional News February 27, 2009 01:54 PM
BY KEELY GRASSER

A rally is under way to help save Buttonville Airport after funding cuts have threatened its operation.

The airport has lost $1.5 million in annual funding from the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA), after it decided to end a capacity agreement with Buttonville because of declining air traffic.

The agreement saw Buttonville get money in exchange for taking planes in cases of over-capacity or emergencies at Pearson.

Derek Sifton, president of Toronto Airways, which owns and operates Buttonville, he was "surprised by the GTAA to have this issue come upon us," and that without the funding "we have to seriously consider our situation, our hours of operation, our overall operations and even our existence."

This worries Thornhill MPP Peter Shurman, who brought up the situation in the legislature on Thursday.

"Buttonville is second only to Pearson International Airport in handling air traffic is this region and it includes air ambulance, police surveillance, media services, commercial cargo, corporate aviation, charters and private aircraft. As you see, jobs are at stake and so is a vital lifeline for York Region," he said during Thursday's question period.

"I think this was an ill-conceived decision on the part of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority to end the subsidy which it was providing," Transport Minister James Bradley responded. "Minister (Michael) Chan (Markham-Unionville MPP) as well approached me with this, you've approached me with this, the air advisory panel, and it is my intention, as a result of meetings I had, to raise the issue with the Minister of Transport of Canada, with a view to applying pressure to the GTAA to restore that particular subsidy."

A group of organizations and support agencies including the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association and Air Transport Association of Canada, has penned a letter to federal minister of transport John Baird, provincial minister of finance Jim Flaherty and Mr. Shurman.

"The economic well-being and job security of a significant number of tax paying Canadian families and businesses are directly and indirectly tied to this location and the services in provides," the letter reads.

In it the group asks that an agreement that benefits both Buttonville and the GTAA be found to restore the deal or that alternative funding be found.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti has similar hopes that a solution can be found.

He said Buttonville supplies 300 jobs to the area and makes an $80 million economic impact on the local economy.

"Buttonville airport is critically important, I think not only to the economy of Markham and York Region, but in fact, the whole of the GTA," he said.

The mayor said he has already written a letter to the federal minister of transport, urging him to review the situation. He added he's trying to secure a meeting with him.

Mr. Scarpitti said he's asked the Markham Board of Trade to write a similar letter.

He's disappointed at the GTAA's decision, he said.

The GTAA decision was made last fall. It had to give Buttonville six months' notice of the termination of the agreement, thus the April cancellation date.

GTAA spokesperson Trish Krale said the GTAA's been forced to look at its budget and a downturn in air traffic over the last number of months. The Buttonville decision falls under this process.

"The current economic reality ...has forced our hand," Ms Krale said.

Mr. Bradley, in question period, said he's willing to approach the federal government, which is responsible for airports, on the issue.

He added he's willing to meet with the airport officials themselves, along with Mr. Chan, who is on the air advisory panel of the ministry of transportation.

"We're all prepared to go to bat for Buttonville airport because we agree that it is a vital transportation link here in Ontario," he said.

Mr. Sifton said he's approached the federal government, but has gotten nowhere.

Mr. Sifton said he thinks the funding problem is caused by the fact that Buttonville is privately owned, whereas most airports are owned by municipalities.

This isn't the first time the future of Buttonville has come under question.

One great threat speculated is the possibility of the Pickering Airport being built east of Buttonville. A decision on whether or not that airport will be built is expected late this year, by the earliest. The GTAA is currently working on a needs assessment study for the potential airport.

However, as Mr. Shurman said, Pickering Airport, if it goes ahead, is years away.

"So Buttonville is very important," he said.

Our Response (member) to news media

March 13, 2009 05:56 PM

Re: Clouds gather over viability of Buttonville, Feb. 28.

I wonder whether MPP Peter Shurman's call for Transportation Minister Jim Bradley to help stop the cancellation of a $1.5 million capacity maintenance agreement with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority is really in the best interests of his constituents.

Both residents of Markham and Richmond Hill have had complaints about safety and the noise of the airport for over a decade.

In addition, there was an aircraft that crashed into a residential house in Bayview Hill, Richmond Hill, in 2001 and another crash near the IBM building on Steeles Avenue in 2003.

The Buttonville Airport is the 10th busiest airport in Canada and that makes it an inappropriate location in a growing residential area.

Imagine if you were a local resident, there are more than 500 air movements over your head every day, including in the middle of the night.

Yes, while other airports such as the City Centre Airport, Downsview Airport and Markham Airport are closed between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., Buttonville Airport is open 24 hours a day.

Those smaller aircrafts' propeller engines are noisier than the same thrust jet engine.

Regarding the economic downturn, the smaller Markham Airport will need more financial help than the well-established Buttonville Airport.

Markham Airport and Downsview Airport are surviving. How could Buttonville Airport lose money and need to close?

I tend to believe it is more an inappropriate government handout.

Samuel Ho

Our Response (member) to news media/government representative

Letters to the Editor

April 04, 2009 11:12 AM

Re: Clouds gather over Buttonville, Feb. 28.

I think it's ridiculous for the various elected officials to try and pressure the Greater Toronto Airport Authority into continuing funding Derick Sifton's airport (or "folly" might be more accurate) for $1.5 million annually.

As Mr. Sifton has threatened to close Buttonville a number of times over the years, I can only assume this airport is not financially viable and has not been for years.

A neighbour and I recently attended a Buttonville Airport Community Committee meeting where we expressed our concern about the safety of operating an airport in what is today a very densely populated urban area.

What was farmland in 1962 when Buttonville started is now homes and playgrounds and offices.

We cannot afford the risk of aircraft crashing and perhaps killing innocent people. Please remember the recent horrific accident in Buffalo, NY.

The majority of the flights from Buttonville are training, re-certification pleasure flights and according to the Transportation Safety Board statistics, these flights represent 30 per cent of the airplane crashes.

It astounds me to suppose anyone can think that "training flights" over Thornhill or Markham and Richmond Hill are a good idea.

John Burns

Buttonville

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March 11, 2009

Letter to the Editor
Re: Buttonville Airport

We are long time Markham residents living in proximity of Buttonville Airport. The Airport operation impacts many residents in the surrounding areas on issues such as safety, pollution and noise, and it does not seem to be a viable business.

The area has changed since the early 60’s when the airport was purchased by the Siftons. Goggle map clearly shows the extraordinary growth and density of urban development in the area surrounding the airport. What was once empty field are now thriving businesses, offices and homes, schools and playgrounds that comprise Markham, Richmond Hill and Thornhill. There is no longer open space for emergency landings. This fact increases the risk of injury to the resident of the area.

Buttonville is home to a number of Flight Training Schools, including Helicopter training and Seneca College Flight School. Not only does Buttonville encourage aircraft flights for purpose of “pleasure flying”, they also provide training flights that operate older single engine aircraft, which are more likely to encounter failures. Transportation Safety Board of Canada statistics show that training flights and pleasure flights account for a large number of aircraft accidents. This risk to our safety should no longer be tolerated.

Furthermore, the issues with the 24 hours 7 days operation without strict restriction on late night flights, and the frequency and huge number of pleasure/training planes circulating in the neighbourhood have never been addressed by Buttonville to concerned residents. The residents in our neighbourhood deserve a night curfew on these pleasure/training flights similar to the curfew imposed by the Toronto City Centre Airport, with the exception of medical air ambulances and police helicopters on emergency.

Once again we are being asked to bail out a privately owned airport that has been struggling for decades. Mr. Sifton regularly threatens to close the airport if his demands are not met. Over the years, the government has pumped 10’s of millions of Public money into this private business. It is time for GTAA, Transport Canada and our politicians to act responsibly and to hold public consultation and community meetings before handing out our tax dollars. It is also time to establish a process for continuous monitoring of issues and resolutions raised by residents on the airport by the towns.

Liza Chang

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Email to Dan Horchik, Markham Councillor

Re: Buttonville Airport - February 27, 2009

Dan, I too thank you for the opportunity to be in the meeting.

Over the years, I feel that the critical issues related to the operation of the airport are not getting the right attention nor taken seriously by Toronto Airway. Issues on safety and pollution with the huge number of flying school and pleasure planes of single engine circulating in a densely populated area, and the safety and noise issue with the 24 hours/7days operation without a strict policy of what plane can fly at late night are typical examples. These issues when brought up by individual resident such as myself were brushed off under the need of medical emergency planes or the police helicopters without addressing the safety, pollution and noise problems affecting a large number of residents living in proximity.

The continuing argument that the airport was established before the neighbourhood and that not much can be done by Toronto Airway is a major obstacle for good neighbour policy. The other argument that the job and the business opportunity lost for Markham is seriously weak as the area if used for other purposes would generate as much job opportunities and tax dollars in my opinion.

Airport operation affects many residents in proximity. I think public hearings and a community consultation process should be put in place by cities of Markham/Richmond Hill/ Thornhill jointly:
1. To seek input and understand issues from local residents
2. To ensure the issues raised are addressed by appropriate responsible parties
3. Decisions made related to the airport operation are taken into considerations of local resident concerns, and the impact of growth and fast development in close proximity.
These hearing and process should be chaired by independent party not affiliated with Toronto Airway, perhaps someone like yourself who has community interest at heart.

Dan, I object to any public money going into subsidizing a private airport and continues for decades without a public hearing or a community consultation process. Please pass my comments to all relevant parties who are either stakeholders or community reps. Thank you very much for your help.

Regards, Liza Chang

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