PHOTO RELEASE Billy Bishop Airport Airfield Rehabilitation Project Marks Important Milestone Toronto (November 3, 2016) – Today, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Billy Bishop Airport) officially re-opened runway 06-24 following an extensive rehabilitation of the runway earlier this summer. Billy Bishop Airport’s Executive Vice-President Gene Cabral was joined by representatives from Porter Airlines, Greater Toronto Airways, Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), Toronto Island Pilot’s Association (TIPA), WSP Canada Inc. and Pave-Al Limited to participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the major milestone in the Billy Bishop Airfield Rehabilitation Project – the resurfacing of runway 08-26 and the full reconstruction of runway 06-24. This significant three-year rehabilitation initiative which began earlier this summer is necessary to replace existing aging civil and electrical infrastructure to modernize the airport. This work also includes replacing the runway lighting to energy-efficient LED lighting, restoration of the runway and reconfiguring taxiways. “After a summer of intensive construction to restore and repave the runways at Billy Bishop Airport I am pleased to come together with representatives of our airport community to celebrate this major milestone in the project,” said Gene Cabral, Executive Vice-President of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and PortsToronto. “These initiatives to modernize the airport will ensure it continues to serve as an economic engine for the city, provide much needed aviation service and provide efficient service to the 2.5 million passengers who travel through the airport each year.” Special procedures such as the barging of materials and supplies were implemented to ensure minimal impacts on local residents as well as travellers. Additionally, given that a portion of construction activities took place during night-time hours when the airport is closed to air traffic, PortsToronto implemented a number of measures to minimize the community impact, including limitations on construction vehicle access and construction-related noise, as well as directing construction lighting downward and away from neighbourhoods. Visit the Billy Bishop Airport Airfield Rehabilitation page to learn more about the project. Photo: From left to right, Bojan Drakul, Senior Project Manager, Aviation, WSP Canada Inc., Daniel Boccia, Vice President, Pave-Al Limited, Cheryl Marek, Southern Ontario Director, Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), Gene Cabral, Executive Vice President, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and PortsToronto, Chris Nowrouzi, President and CEO, Greater Toronto Airways, Robert Deluce, President and CEO of Porter Airlines and David Sprague, Toronto Island Pilot’s Association (TIPA)participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the re- opening of runway 06-24. Photo: Representatives from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Porter Airlines, Greater Toronto Airways, Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), Toronto Island Pilot’s Association (TIPA), WSP Canada Inc. and Pave-Al Limited tour runway 06-24 which has been fully reconstructed. More information on the project, schedules and team can be found at www.BillyBishopAirfieldProject.com About Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (https://www.portstoronto.com/airport.aspx) Billy Bishop Airport is Canada's ninth-busiest airport and welcomes 2.5 million business and leisure travellers each year. The airport is also Canada’s sixth-busiest airport with passenger service into the United States. Offering service to more than 20 cities in Canada and the U.S., with connection opportunities to more than 80 international destinations via our airlines’ networks, Billy Bishop Airport is an important international gateway and a key driver to Toronto’s economy, accounting for more than $2.1 billion in economic output each year and supporting 6,500 jobs, including 1,960 directly associated with the airport operations. The airport has recently won a series of passenger-driven awards, including being named one of the top airports in North America by Airports Council International’s (ACI) 2015 Airport Service Quality Awards and Skytrax 2016 World Airport Awards. Billy Bishop Airport was also recently named the fourth best international airport by Conde Nast Traveler. About PortsToronto (http://www.portstoronto.com/) For more than 100 years PortsToronto, (formerly the Toronto Port Authority), has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomes more than two million passengers each year; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Terminals 51 and 52, which provide transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $8 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government. – 30 – Media Contact: Sarah Sutton Senior Manager, Communications & Media Relations PortsToronto Tel: (416) 863-2065; Cell: (647) 298-0544 E-mail: [email protected] .