Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Wins Airports Council International (North America) Environmental Achievement Award for Master Plan

Third time since 2017 Billy Bishop Airport Has Won Prestigious Environmental Achievement Award

TORONTO, Aug. 26, 2020 /CNW/ - PortsToronto, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, has won the Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) Environmental Achievement Award for Environmental Improvement with Limited Resources for the airport's updated Master Plan. Fittingly entitled Cleaner, Greener, Quieter, the updated Billy Bishop Airport Master Plan demonstrates the significant results that the airport has achieved in sustainability since its 2012 Master Plan was released, and refines its vision to be a global leader in how a modern airport operates in an urban environment.

Established in 1997, the annual Airports Council International Environmental Achievement Awards recognize airports that strive to protect and preserve the environment through their programs, initiatives and projects. The updated Billy Bishop Airport Master Plan, which was released in November 2019, focuses on areas such as infrastructure requirements, activity forecasting, environmental initiatives and future planning, and was developed through a planning process that involved comprehensive public consultation and stakeholder engagement. Over a two-year period, more than 90 meetings were held with neighbourhood associations, agencies including First Nations leaders, elected officials, local businesses, airport stakeholders and community groups. The final plan details priorities for Billy Bishop Airport as well as outlining key recommendations to support the airport's commitment to managed growth that balances airport operations with community interests.

"Environmental sustainability is a top priority for North American airports, and these award recipients are a testament to our members' extraordinary commitment to protecting the environment and supporting their communities," said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. "By consistently challenging themselves to innovate and adopt sustainable practices, the 2020 ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Award recipients stand out as industry leaders. I'm proud of the work underway at airports and look forward to continued progress."

"One of the key factors in realizing many of our environmental goals is our collaborative approach to community and stakeholder engagement, which, in the case of our updated Master Plan, involved going building to building in our community to hear first-hand about the challenges that exist today and how to mitigate these issues in the short- and long-term," said Gene Cabral, Executive Vice President of PortsToronto and Billy Bishop Airport. "We are thrilled to be recognized for our efforts to maintain thorough and transparent community and stakeholder outreach, to which we can attribute many of our positive results in sustainability thus far as well as the future strategic initiatives detailed in our Master Plan."

This is the third time that Billy Bishop Airport has won an Airports Council International (ACI-NA) Environmental Achievement Award. In 2019, the airport won Best Innovative Project for the successful completion of its three-year Airfield Rehabilitation Program, which modernized the airfield with sustainable infrastructure that reduced energy usage by 75 per cent. Further, in 2017, the airport won the top award for its Noise Management Program. In addition, Billy Bishop Airport has won a series of passenger-driven awards, including being named one of the top airports globally and in North America in both the Airports Council International's (ACI) Airport Service Quality Awards and Skytrax World Airport Awards. Billy Bishop Airport has also been ranked as the fourth Best International Airport by Condé Nast Traveler and has ranked top ten on Private Fly's list for Most Scenic Airport Approaches in the world for five consecutive years.

The 2018 Billy Bishop Airport Master Plan is available in English and French on the PortsToronto website, and on the project website: www.BillyBishopAirportMasterPlan2018.com. The project website also includes additional information such as a FAQ section that details questions and answers presented at the public meetings as well as presentations and resource material.

For more information on the awards, click here.

About the ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Awards
Since 1997, ACI-NA has granted Environmental Achievement Awards to recognize its airport members that strive to protect and preserve the environment through their programs, initiatives and projects.  Established by the ACI-NA Environmental Affairs Committee, the annual Awards acknowledge the hard work and achievements of ACI-NA members by promoting awareness more broadly within the airport community, the general public and regulators of the many notable and innovative efforts being undertaken by environmental professionals at airports.

About Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (https://www.billybishopairport.com)
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, generating more than $470 million in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year and supporting 4,740 jobs, including 2,080 directly associated with the airport operations. Billy Bishop Airport is renowned for its unique travel experience, efficiency and customer service and has won a series of passenger-driven awards.

About PortsToronto (https://www.portstoronto.com)
For more than 100 years PortsToronto 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 welcomed 2.8 million passengers in 2019; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides 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 $12 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.

SOURCE Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

Media Contact: Jessica Pellerin, Media Relations and Public Affairs Specialist, PortsToronto, Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]