Pickering’s mayor, Kevin Ashe, seeks Premier Doug Ford’s aid in lifting a 1972 zoning order hindering housing development near unused Pickering Airport lands. Under this zoning order, the Government of Canada acquired 18,600 acres of land to develop a new airport. The Pickering airport project, initially proposed to alleviate Pearson Airport congestion, has lingered for decades. Over the years, portions have been leased for various residential, commercial and farm purposes. In 2013, a substantial portion of the land was designated by Ottawa for the creation of the Rouge National Urban Park, with 8,400 acres set aside for potential future aviation development.

Recently, Pickering city council voted against supporting the airport, citing environmental concerns and emissions reduction goals. Ashe aims to open up about half of the available land for development to meet provincial housing targets and bring in over 40,000 residents and 10,000 jobs. The federal government awaits the results of a new Transport Canada study on airport supply and demand in the southern Ontario region to make a decision on the need of a new airport on these lands.