3-144 Old Kingston Rd Ajax, ON L1T 2Z9 P: 905-686-0883 F: 905-686-1057 www.apboardoftrade.com

Thank you to our 2011 February 14, 2011 Annual Title Sponsors The Honourable Chuck Strahl Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Tower C - 330 Sparks St. Ottawa, , K1A 0N5

Dear Minister Strahl:

I am writing to follow up on our correspondence of November 12, 2010. In that letter, my predecessor, Jason Cameron, brought to your attention our sustained effort to urge your government to release the Needs Assessment Study, conducted by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) in 2009, evaluating the airport needs for Ontario, specifically related to the Pickering Airport Lands. Significant background on the file was provided, and for your convenience, I have attached our previous letters on this vital matter.

In the interest of moving this issue forward, I respectfully request that you meet with a small delegation from the Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade and me at a date that is mutually agreeable, in order that we may have a meaningful discussion around this issue.

As mentioned in the above-noted letter of November 12, 2010, according to the GTAA, the study is in the hands of your department and future decisions rest with Transport Canada.

Regardless of what decision is taken and what results and conclusions are revealed by this Needs Assessment Study, the report must be released without delay. The residents, businesses and community planners in Ajax and Pickering require certainty around this issue to plan for the future.

For the sake of our local economy, we ask you to show leadership and take the action necessary to determine an ultimate use for this land that the federal government expropriated so many decades ago.

We look forward to meeting with you and at your earliest convenience and await the expeditious release of this study.

Sincerely,

Donna McFarlane, 2011 President, Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade

CC: The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Jerry Ouellette, MPP Oshawa The Honourable James M. Flaherty, Minister of Finance John O’Toole, MPP Durham The Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario Christine Elliott, MPP Whitby-Oshawa The Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure Tim Hudak, Leader of the Official Opposition The Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Transportation Roger Anderson, Regional Chair of Durham , MP Ajax-Pickering Mayor Steve Parish, Town of Ajax The Honourable Dan McTeague, MP Pickering-Scarborough Mayor Dave Ryan, City of Pickering East Gary Cubitt, CAO, Region of Durham The Honourable Bev Oda, MP Durham C. Curtis, Commissioner of Works, Colin Carrie, MP Oshawa Region of Durham Wayne Arthurs, MPP Pickering – Scarborough East Media Joe Dickson, MPP Ajax-Pickering