Toronto, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport
CA-1108
-
650 ft
CA-ON
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 43.862202° N, -79.370003° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: YTO CYKZ YKZ
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
03/21 |
2694 ft | 80 ft | ASP | Active Lighted |
15/33 |
3897 ft | 100 ft | ASP | Active Lighted |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| ARR | Toronto Terminal Arrivals | 133.4 MHz |
| ATIS | ATIS | 127.1 MHz |
| DEP | Toronto Terminal Departures | 133.4 MHz |
| GND | Buttonville Ground | 121.8 MHz |
| MF | Buttonville Traffic: when tower closed | 124.8 MHz |
| RCO | London Radio | 123.15 MHz |
| TWR | Buttonville Tower. (Backup: 119.9) | 124.8 MHz |
November 30, 2023. The airport officially ceased all aviation operations at 23:59 local time on this date.
The closure was driven by economic factors related to real estate development. The airport was located on 170 acres of prime, privately-owned land in the rapidly growing city of Markham, within the Greater Toronto Area. The land's value for commercial and residential development far exceeded its profitability as a general aviation airport. The owner, property development firm Cadillac Fairview, in partnership with the Sifton family, had long-standing plans to redevelop the site into a large-scale, mixed-use urban community. The decision was finalized after years of extensions, with the high value of the land making the redevelopment project inevitable.
The site is permanently closed to all air traffic and is in the process of being decommissioned for redevelopment. The land is slated to become a massive, master-planned community called 'Buttonville Lands.' The development plan by Cadillac Fairview includes high-density residential towers, office buildings, retail and commercial space, parks, and new public infrastructure. Demolition of airport structures like hangars, the terminal, and runways is planned to make way for the new construction.
Buttonville Municipal Airport (correct ICAO: CYKZ, IATA: YKZ) was one of Canada's most important and busiest general aviation airports. Opened in 1953, it played a crucial role in the region's aviation landscape for 70 years. Its key contributions included:
- **Flight Training Hub:** It was a premier center for pilot training in Canada. Seneca College's renowned aviation program was based at Buttonville for over 50 years, training thousands of commercial pilots.
- **Corporate and Charter Aviation:** It was a primary hub for corporate jets, private aircraft, and charter services serving the Toronto business community, offering a convenient and less congested alternative to Toronto Pearson International Airport.
- **Reliever Airport:** It served as a critical reliever airport, diverting general aviation traffic from the much larger and busier Toronto Pearson, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the national air system.
- **Economic Engine:** The airport was home to numerous aviation businesses, including maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities, avionics shops, aircraft sales, and the Canadian headquarters of Air BP. It also served as a base for York Regional Police's air support unit and Ornge air ambulance services.
- **Customs Port of Entry:** It was a designated airport of entry by NAV CANADA, staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), allowing it to handle international private and corporate flights.
(Note: The ICAO code provided in the query, CA-1108, is incorrect. The official Transport Canada identifier was CYKZ.)
There are zero prospects for reopening the airport. The closure is permanent, and the land has been irrevocably committed to the 'Buttonville Lands' real estate project. The former tenants, including flight schools, charter companies, and maintenance operations, have either ceased operations or relocated to other regional airports such as Oshawa Executive Airport (CYOO) and Lake Simcoe Regional Airport (CYLS).
This airport will finally be closing at the end of November. See AIC 16/23 for more information.
I am happy to hear that YKZ is staying for another 5 more years. I hope it will stay more. It is a shame to see it gone.
Buttonville is a great little airport if your coming into the Toronto area or just need to clear customs and head north.
There are two Falcon 7X's, 1 Falcon 50EX, 1 Falcon 20, 2 Falcon 10, 1 Learjet 45, 1 Citation XL, 1 Citation Mustang, and 1 Eclipse EA500 based on the field, couple of King Airs, some Cheyennes, and 200 + GA aircraft.
It's easier to get downtown Toronto from here than from Pearson, it's get a great FBO, a restaurant, flight lounge, passenger lounge, aviation store, very friendly and helpful staff.
Due to ongoing sample tests for future construction, it appears the airport will still be open for another couple of years - so 2015.
Stopped here for lunch with a friend
No charge for landing or parking !!!!
Excellent controllers
Esy in and out
Great flight planning facility at FBO
Reply to @dazuppa:
I've found that it really varies depending on which instructor you get. I had Matt Ross as my instructor and he was great. Overall I found Buttonville to be very professional.
Reply to @dazuppa: I've never taken instruction at Buttonville, but I've used it a few times as a transient pilot, and my experiences have always been positive as far as the airport itself goes: professional ATC, good facilities, friendly staff, reasonable prices, etc.
Your point about the location is very valid, however - you walk out of the airport into the middle of the vast, soul-destroying, post-apocalyptic suburban waste land that is Toronto's blue belt, with no public transit worth mentioning and nothing in walking distance worth walking to. That's why I usually cough up the extra money for the Porter FBO at CYTZ - it costs a bit more, but then I'm right downtown and can walk anywhere I want. The Island also offers a much more beautiful approach and departure.
You can't get in or out from this airport without a rental car, even though it looks like sitting in the middle of the city. Oh well, there is a bus stop next to a funerals home in front, but in winter they don't clean the snow there so you'll have to wait in a pile of snow.
Toronto Airways has one of the least interested instructors I've seen in the whole Toronto area! Like, really, if you are a potential customer (renter, student pilot, whatever), paying a hefty price, you may expect certain level of positive attitude towards you. FBO folks were nice, though.
Seneca College airplanes are also based there, and those guys are setting standards in competence and quality of flight training.
From the pilot prospective, runways are huge and comfortable. Tower is generally friendly, though if you are flying from CYKZ to CYTZ and vice versa they tend to be... a bit picky sometimes. Not really bad, just picky. Won't release you from the frequency until the last second, etc.
They have this funny little Markham airport plugged into their airspace - I'd suggest going through the CYKZ control zone instead! Markham people can pop up in front of you in a glider without warning (yeah, they have their own separate frequency for gliders, I know, but better - just fly with Buttonville radar keeping an eye on you and throwing advisories if needed).
Cadillac Fairview will be developing the airport lands.
http://fly.blakecrosby.com/2010/10/buttonville-airport-to-close.html
Only Losers fly small planes.Get a Jet.
With the lost funding, the Sifton family is fairly certain they'll have to close Buttonville in a few years:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/toronto/story.html?id=1914431
(via @bcrosby)
Reply to @david: Yeah.. YKZ's aprons have always been uncontrolled. I don't know the reason why, because the tower has a clear view of the area. Before you could just call up "on the main apron" and you'd get taxi instructions. But now, the controllers want you to specify exactly where you are on the apron. Makes sense, this way they spend less time looking for you.
Reply to @bcrosby: Interesting. The main apron at CYOW has been uncontrolled as long as I've been flying, because tower can't see well enough to guarantee that you'll be clear of planes pushing back, baggage trains, etc. A typical clearance is back to the north field from the Esso or Shell is "taxi bravo, apron at your discretion, alfa, tango, hold short runway 22" — the "at your discretion" is controller-ese for "you're on your own taxiing around the parked Airbusses, bubba". I think CYYZ has a dedicated apron controller.
These are a little out of date, but thought I would mention it anyways.
1. Taxiing. The main apron (near the terminal) is uncontrolled. It is suggested that you let the ground controller know where you are when calling up, and be specific. Ie, "on the main apron holding short of foxtrot" for example.
2. When you need to talk to London FIC, do so using the RCO and *not* 126.7.
There's a gas station across the street that you can use to refill the tank when you're returning a rental car.
There is a Druxy's (deli chain) in the FBO. The food isn't too bad, standard deli stuff like smoked meat sandwiches, bagels, and salads. Not gourmet, but it's better than Subway, and it's easy if you're stopping at Buttonville.
Hertz rents out of Buttonville, and the rates are reasonable (make sure you use your COPA or AOPA discount if you have one). After hours is no problem -- I called earlier then arrived Sunday night long after the desk was closed, and my contract and keys were waiting for me at the FBO with no fuss. Renting a car is the only realistic way into Toronto from Buttonville, but it's easy since the airport is right beside the 404, which turns into the Don Valley Parkway and leads straight into downtown Toronto. Outside of rush hour, you can expect to be downtown in about 25 minutes. I still prefer City Centre (YTZ) for downtown, since it's in walking distance, but Buttonville is better for the 905 area code or anywhere else you might need to drive.
Main FEX base....good company brings back good memories and some great trips.