Public Opinion Survey Reveals Majority of Torontonians Agree Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is an Important Asset to the City

According to a survey released by PortsToronto, 85 per cent of Toronto residents “agree” that “Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is a valuable asset for the entire city”. The majority of Toronto residents agree that Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is a good use of land, and that the airport plays a central role in business/the economy, health care, and job creation for the city.

The public opinion survey, conducted via telephone interview by Environics Research, polled a representative, randomly-selected sample of 1,225 adults living in Toronto. Environics specifically oversampled residents who live along the Waterfront region (336 of 1,225 surveyed) due to its proximity to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

Key Findings:

• 87% believe it makes sense for the City to have an airport right downtown;
• 86% believe Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is an important gateway for the city that supports business and tourism;
• 85% consider Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is a valuable asset for the entire City;
• 82% believe it is a good use of land;
• 70% of Torontonians express favourable opinions of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport;
• Of those who have previously flown from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, an overwhelming majority (97%) say they had a positive experience. Note: 39% of survey sample had flown through Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in the past.
• Users of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport primarily report flying for leisure, rather than for business (68% vs. 32%).

Of the small proportion of those with a negative view of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (8% of respondents), one-quarter (27%) say it is due to never using the airport before or not being familiar with the airport. This is followed by dissatisfaction with airplane noise (20%). The inability to access certain destinations is the top reason Toronto residents have cited for not used the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, with one in three specifying this (32%).

For full results of the Environics survey click here.

Methodology

This 15-minute telephone survey was conducted from May 5 to June 8, 2022, among a random and representative sample of N=1,225 residents aged 18 years and older – including an oversample of N=336 residents living along the Waterfront region. The Waterfront region is defined as the body of water-facing regions in the city spanning from Etobicoke to Scarborough. The margin of error for this survey is ± 2.8%, 19 times out of 20. This survey is conducted every two years and has been conducted in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022. No survey was conducted in 2020 due to the pandemic.
 

-30-