History
On June 8, 1999, the Canada Marine Act established the Toronto Port Authority (TPA). The TPA succeeded the Toronto Harbour Commissioners, which was founded in 1911.
The Toronto Harbour Commissioners was a joint federal-municipal agency responsible for the Toronto Harbour and the city’s waterfront. It was under the Harbour Commissioners that the Billy Bishop Airport was constructed.
Today, the TPA is a self-sufficient, independent federal agency that owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Marine Terminals 51 and 52, and the Outer Harbour Marina. It also provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses.
Timeline
| Date |
Description |
| 1750 |
Fort Toronto trading port established |
| 1793 |
Town of York founded. Province begins governing port |
| 1844 |
Board of Trade begins campaign for a Harbour Trust to have jurisdiction over the harbour area |
| 1850 |
Five Harbour Commissioners appointed to manage the harbour; begins a period of divided ownership and control of harbour with Commission, City, railroad and other private owners |
| 1865 |
Waterfront Esplanade completed |
| 1882 |
Breakwater constructed to protect Toronto Island |
| 1911 |
Toronto Harbour Commissioners Act passed by Federal Government |
| 1912-1925 |
Harbour Commissioners present overall plan for the waterfront. Old piers cleared, waterlots filled creating the current harbour profile, Toronto Islands expanded, eastern Portlands created with fill, and breaches developed east and west of the harbour |
| 1937 |
Construction begins on Malton and Toronto Islands Airports |
| 1959 |
St. Lawrence Seaway opens |
| 1962 |
Commissioners take over operation of marine terminals |
| 1966 |
Toronto Port Police formed |
| 1975 |
East gap becomes new port entrance |
| 1982 |
Toronto Port and Harbour Police merge with Metropolitan Police |
| 1983 |
THC, City and Federal Government sign Tripartite Agreement governing Toronto City Centre (formerly Toronto Island) Airport |
| 1985 |
Intermodal operation initiated at Marine Terminal 35 |
| 1991-1994 |
THC cedes 640 acres of waterfront land to the City of Toronto and TEDCO |
| 1998 |
Canada Marine Act comes into effect on June 11, 1998 and establishes the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) |
| 1999 |
Toronto Harbour Commissioners transitions to the TPA under the Canada Port Authority |
| 2005 |
International Marine Passenger Terminal opens |
| 2006 |
Porter Airlines begins flying out of Toronto City Centre Airport |
| 2009 |
Toronto City Centre Airport becomes Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (BBTCA) |
| 2011 |
Air Canada begins flying out of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
TPA celebrates centenary |
| 2012 |
Toronto Port Authority begins construction of pedestrian tunnel to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport |