TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says that while his government could appropriate one third of a waterfront park under legislation to enable expansion of Toronto’s island airport, it will remain as a park.

A bill is before the legislature that would allow the province to take over the City of Toronto’s role in Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, as Ford pushes for an expansion to allow jets to land.

The legislation could also see the province appropriate one third of the waterfront Little Norway Park, the former site of a Second World War training base used by the Norwegian Air Force, and which now has a baseball diamond, walking paths, wading pool and playground.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has called the legislation a “unilateral action to grab city land without consulting Torontonians” and urged the government not to pave over the park.

Ford said at an unrelated event Monday that he won’t be touching the park.

The province has also said it will not take over the entirety of the Toronto Islands despite language in its legislation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2026.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press