After Years of Doubt and Decline, Toronto’s Buttonville Airport Is Closed

The family-owned field rose and fell over a 60-year period.

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, December 01, 2023 at 06:04 PM ET

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Buttonville Airport grew from a turf strip to a busy urban reliever.

Key Takeaways:

Toronto's Buttonville Airport (CYKZ), once one of Canada's busiest, has officially closed after years of speculation and a drawn-out process.
The closure, announced in May and effective November 30, prompted the relocation of approximately 300 based aircraft, with some pilots initially doubting its finality due to past false alarms.
The primary reason for the airport's closure was the immense real estate value of its land, which is now slated for warehouse construction, as the airport became increasingly surrounded by urban development.

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After years of speculation, rumors, and a drawn-out process one local pilot said was akin to a roller-coaster ride, Toronto’s Buttonville Airport (CYKZ), once one of Canada’s busiest, has closed.

Airport management announced in May that the airport would shut down on November 30 and that all aircraft, including about 300 based at the field, would have to be removed by then. While that single message seemed clear, it was part of a series of communications that were not always reliable.