A celebration has been launched to mark ‘85 Years of Flight’ at Toronto’s downtown island airport. Conceived in the 1930s as the main airport for Toronto, the construction of what is now Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) was completed in 1939 at the same time that Malton Airport (now Toronto Pearson International Airport) was constructed as a secondary, alternate airport to be used in the event of bad weather.

On Feb. 4, 1939, H.F. McLean of Montreal landed a Stinson SR-9F Reliant aircraft at Toronto’s new airport, marking the beginning of 85 years of flight at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

That same year, on Sept. 8, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport welcomed its first commercial passenger flight – a charter carrying famed trumpet player and conductor Tommy Dorsey and his swing-band arrived in Toronto for a two-day engagement at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).

These milestone anniversaries will be celebrated at YTZ, commemorating the airport’s past, present and future.

“Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has a long and storied history operating on Toronto’s waterfront,” says RJ Steenstra, President and CEO of PortsToronto, owner and operator of the Island airport. “Welcoming its first flight in 1939, the airport soon became an integral component of the war effort serving as a base for allied pilot training.

“In the years since, the airport has established itself as a valuable asset for the City of Toronto, Ontario, and Canada, providing a transportation gateway for residents and visitors alike, enabling trade and tourism, driving economic impact, facilitating healthcare and creating jobs,”

View a video showcasing the airport’s journey, and visit BillyBishopAirport.com for a calendar of upcoming activities and for a timeline of the airport’s history featuring archival photos from the PortsToronto collection dating back to the 1920s and 1930s.