Greens call for national review of airport authority mandates

January 31, 2024 at 1:12 pm  Federal, Politics

OTTAWA – The Ottawa International Airport Authority (OIAA) has moved forward with the destruction of a 10-acre red pine forest on Hunt Club Road despite widespread community opposition.

Over 20,000 residents signed a petition calling for a cancellation of this plan, but the OIAA had virtual free rein to develop land leased to it by Transport Canada through its 1997 mandate without meaningfully consulting the public. This decision reflects a lack of oversight and accountability for airport authorities across Canada.

“The Canadian government has abdicated responsibility for regulating these airports,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada and MP for Saanich–Gulf Islands.

In 2021, the government said in its throne speech that it “will work with municipalities as part of a new commitment to expand urban parks, so that everyone has access to green space.” Protecting urban plantations, forests and wetlands around airport authorities from further development needs to be a priority in this session of Parliament.

Examples from across Canada demonstrate the lack of accountability for airport authorities. Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) has another 50 years on its lease with Transport Canada for 272 hectares of land. In 2019, much of the 19-hectare park and swampland in Technoparc near the Montréal Trudeau International Airport was slated for development. This threatened the biodiverse ecosystems of the area, notably one of the smallest heron species in the world, the least bittern. It was only due to the advocacy of environmentalists and activists that the authority was pressured to announce it would protect a portion of the land as an ecological park. Elizabeth signed an open letter in 2021 calling for a federal wildlife reserve project on the land. However, ADM has since continued developments across Technoparc that threaten flora and wildlife, notably razing milkweed plants that serve as a crucial food source for the at-risk monarch butterfly.

The Green Party is calling on the federal government to open a review of the mandates of all 26 airports in the National Airports System (NAS). These outdated mandates must be modernised. Transport Canada needs to be able to intervene and modify and prevent developments on lands leased to these authorities without contractual barriers. In the interim, a moratorium must be placed on all developments taking place on leased Transport Canada land at the OIAA.

#####

For more information or to arrange an interview :

Debra Eindiguer

Chief of Staff

613-240-8921

[email protected]

View the full article from the original source

No conversations yet

Activity Stream

Sun, Dec 8, 2024 at 9:00 am - Doug Smith posted on their blog: Exploring the Dry Hills – KamloopsTrails
Thu, Dec 5, 2024 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: Industry hijacks global climate and biodiversity summits
Wed, Dec 4, 2024 at 9:00 am - Doug Smith posted on their blog: Hiking the Uplands Trails in Fall
Sat, Nov 30, 2024 at 9:00 am - Doug Smith posted on their blog: Low Iron – Triple Lumen Hike
Thu, Nov 28, 2024 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: Do these politicians understand carbon?
Wed, Nov 27, 2024 at 3:04 pm - Kamloops Film Society posted on their blog: KFS Holiday Giving – Nov 2024 – The Kamloops Film Society
Tue, Nov 26, 2024 at 9:00 am - Doug Smith posted on their blog: Sugarloaf Hill Hike – KamloopsTrails
Fri, Nov 22, 2024 at 9:00 am - Doug Smith posted on their blog: A Fall Hike to Moul Falls
Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 8:00 am - David Suzuki posted on their blog: Climate progress is unstoppable, despite U.S. election
Mon, Nov 18, 2024 at 9:00 am - Doug Smith posted on their blog: Dewdrop Ridge – Bluebird Trail Loop
Full Stream

Upcoming Events

KAG: Presences
Thursday Sep 26 to Thursday Dec 19
KAG: Stories That Animate Us
Saturday Oct 5 to Saturday Dec 28
Adult 6 Week Mixed Media Workshop
Monday Nov 4 to Monday Dec 9
Winter at Privato
Sunday Nov 17 to Sunday Dec 22
WCT: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
Thursday Nov 21 to Monday Dec 8
Meet Santa at Sahali Mall
Saturday Nov 30 to Monday Dec 23
Gingerbread House Competition 2024
Sunday Dec 1 to Tuesday Dec 24
Kamloops Comedy Open Mic
Wednesday Dec 4
All Events