The Stakeholders Forum below was a discussion paper presented by V.O.C.A.L. to the Federal government and the City of Pickering at the Stakeholders Forums held between 1999 and 2001. The idea was to present a working model for the management of the land in the future.

           The management model allows the option to remain open for the government to build an airport if need ever               materialized, yet it provides taxpayers, residents, and officials a reasonable framework to ensure that the project  has met at least the primary objectives required to determine that a need really exists.

 The Stakeholders Forum

Operational Considerations
Stakeholders Forum Proposal

1. Preface and Introduction

The proposed Stakeholders Forum has two important roles to play.

The first function of the Stakeholders Forum is to establish a review mechanism that addresses the economic and legislative realities of today. Future Airport development proposals would be reviewed according to set criteria and when need is established proposals would be considered.

The second function of the Stakeholders Forum would be to act as a consultative body.

In its primary role, The Stakeholders Forum would have the opportunity to review applications for the development of an airport before the transfer of any federal lands to an airport authority. The panel would examine any proposal to ensure an economic need exists. The plans would be examined to ensure that the financial, economic and growth forecasts used are realistic, sustainable, and result in no financial burden to the taxpayer. When the need develops the Stakeholders Forum provides a mechanism to review and approve a proposal according to preset criteria.

Why do we need a review process?

When the Federal Lands were expropriated in 1972 Transport Canada developed airports on behalf of the citizens of Canada. The need for the Stakeholders Forum was established when Transport Canada removed itself from airport development. As Transport Canada has clearly stated, they are not in the airport business. The issue surrounding the federal Lands in Pickering for Transport Canada is to protect the property from encroaching development should the need for an airport emerge. At that time they would transfer the lands to an airport authority for development of an airport. A Stakeholders Forum is required to ensure that the review process formerly undertaken by Transport Canada as part of there role in development of airports is continued by the parties now financially accountable for the costs. The Regional and Municipal governments and taxpayers.

Under the restructuring of the Municipal Act in Ontario, economic and financial responsibility for airport development was transferred to Regional Governments from the province. With the new responsibility, no review process was established to vet proposals. The economic responsibility was delegated without the matching transfer process for review. The Stakeholders Forum provides an avenue to review proposals to ensure an economic need has been established. It allows the Stakeholders to endorse a proposal with the confidence that it will contribute to the economic growth of the communities it serves and not be a financial and social burden. Taxpayers will support the process as it has addressed the economic need and financial responsibility concerns.

The Stakeholders Forum as proposed allows all parties, but specifically the municipal and regional governments as well as its citizens to plan within a time frame known to and endorsed by all. The time frame is known to all and accepted by all because the process has been transparent, the need established and the process consultative.

The second function of the Stakeholders Forum is consultative. A consultative process allows the applicant, the governments and citizens to have their concerns addressed prior to approval of a project and prior to contracts being signed. This aspect is essential not only because of the economic and legislative realities outlined above but also because of changes in the way large scale projects are undertaken today. A review of the 407 Consortium contract experience and trying to effect even small changes after the fact clearly demonstrates the need for a more consultative approach from the beginning. The benefit in this situation is that we can design a process to address the concerns of all parties before the economic need exists.

In short, the process that was in place in 1972 reflected a different economic and legislative time, and does not serve the economic responsibilities and realities of the Year 2005. The Stakeholders forum is the avenue that provides all concerned parties the opportunity to address their long and immediate term concerns.

The Forum can be established by way of a Memorandum of Understanding as an addendum to the agreements with provincial authorities initiative currently underway. A checklist of requirements that must be satisfied forms the basis for the review process. The consultative process occurs in the planning stages. Once a project proposal is checklist reviewed then the consultation begins revolving around proposal specifics. This occurs so that the needs and concerns of all parties are considered before the Stakeholders approve a project.

When a proposal is approved, it is forwarded to Transport Canada with the recommendation of acceptance. Transport Canada then simply transfers or leases to the approved airport authority the required properties necessary for an airport development.
After 33 years, we need a process that provides a review and consultative approach acceptable to all parties. Any forum that provides the promise of a long term resolution to this issue is worth pursuing.

2. Purpose of the Stakeholders Forum

The stakeholders forum process is being undertaken as part of the agreements with provincial authorities approach to designating the Federal land holdings in Pickering as an airport site. The purpose of the process is to create a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to be attached to and form part of the agreement with provincial authorities approach to designating the Federal lands in Pickering as an airport site. The MOU will outline areas of operation for the Stakeholders Forum regarding the administration of the properties, the airport proposal application review and consultation process, transfers of property to an airport authority, environmental assessments, and issues and concerns related to the timing, operations and size of any proposed airport development. It has been discussed that long term land use issues could be included in the terms of reference for the Stakeholders Forum in the future.

3. Alternatives

The agreement with provincial authorities approach with an attached addendum of a Memorandum of Understanding was advanced by the Stakeholders Forum Technical subcommittee report as the recommended course of action. While several other options were considered the Stakeholders Forum was considered as the avenue likely to yield agreement. .

4. Operation of the Stakeholders Forum

The Stakeholders Forum is to be comprised of representatives of the following organizations and levels of government: Transport Canada, The City of Pickering, The Town of Ajax, The town of Uxbridge, the town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, the Town of Markham, the Green Door Alliance, the Greenwood Ratepayers Association, The Ajax Pickering Board of Trade and V.O.C.A.L. The Region of Durham and The Region of York as well as the Provincial Government may be included as interested parties.

The Forum would meet semi-annually to discuss issues of concern and to address new business. Further meetings could be called at the discretion of the Chair.

Proposals to develop an airport on the site would be submitted to the Stakeholders forum for recommendation prior to submission to Transport Canada. As Transport Canada is a partner in the Stakeholders Forum the recommendation of the Forum would be project critical.

The role of the Forum is to review the economic projections and forecasts used in developing the business plan to ensure that economic need exists and that new airport capacity is required. The Forum will also review a proposals financing forecasts to ensure that a airport is not funded or developed in a manor that places the taxpayers at risk.
In the consultation phase the concerns of all parties would be addressed. The goal being to tailor a proposal to meet the needs of all parties including the developer prior to development. In this phase a project is refined as to land need requirements, infrastructure needs, operations, soft cost considerations and advanced in a timeframe to meet the planning needs of the local and regional governments responsible for the provision of services. The developer gets to finalize project plans prior to construction and obtains co-operation from the affected parties.

If more than one proposal is received each is to be reviewed and consulted with then the Forum would forwards recommendation to Transport Canada. Transport Canada would recognize an airport authority and transfer the required amount of property needed to develop the airport to that authority. Construction could commence almost immediately as all issues have been addressed before the land transfer occurs.

5. Items requiring Further Consultation

The stakeholders forum should act to establish a checklist of criteria that must be met to satisfy the concerns of the interested parties. This checklist would include but not be limited to items such as capacity utilization rates at existing facilities, air traffic growth patterns and travel patterns in general, lead time requirements, population impact studies, growth projections and other items of concern to all interest parties.