A canvas for community: celebrating Toronto’s diversity at Billy Bishop Airport

Credit: Nieuport Aviation

As the CEO of Nieuport Aviation, the terminal partner at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ), I’ve had the privilege of witnessing first-hand how this airport has become a destination for travellers and local visitors alike – a vibrant community hub and the jumping off point to one of the most diverse cities in the world. We offer our space as a canvas for stories, both past and present, that shape us.

Launching now, the latest story canvas has transformed the exterior of our passenger terminal with the completion of a large-scale mural – the result of a partnership with Jakarundi Graphics with support from the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto programme and PortsToronto.

The mural spans the north-facing exterior wall of our passenger terminal, a vibrant tribute to Toronto’s Indigenous roots, the experiences of migration, and the unique waterfront ecosystem that defines our geography.

Earlier this year, two community workshops were hosted that brought together residents, artists, and stakeholders to help shape the mural’s design, ensuring that it is part of a collective narrative featuring the voices of the communities surrounding the airport.

Water, a defining feature of Toronto’s geography, features heavily in the mural, representing connection, movement and memory; mirroring the airport’s role as a connector of people. Whether someone is arriving, departing, or simply passing by, this mural invites them to pause and consider the stories that shape this place.

Celebrating Toronto’s character and creativity

This mural is just one piece of a larger cultural commitment at Billy Bishop Airport. Over the past year, we’ve been fortunate to support and launch a variety of community-driven initiatives that celebrate Toronto’s character and creativity. These initiatives matter because they shape the passenger experience within this one-of-a-kind airport while strengthening the relationships we have with our community partners.

For example, during Pride Month, we installed This Light (Greater than the sum of the sun) by artist Joshua Vettivelu. This exhibit uses light to explore themes of identity and belonging, inviting travellers to reflect on their own connection to place through the lens of Toronto’s waterfront.

Credit: Nieuport Aviation

We also continued our popular Music on the Fly programme, a partnership with Culture TO and Arthaus that brings local musicians into the terminal spaces. The live performances welcome passengers and invite them to enjoy the space as they experience Toronto’s rich and varied musical talent. Recently, we hosted our first ever interactive performance featuring a talented steelpan drum musician, offering quick lessons to both travellers and community members. We also welcomed a new lineup of artists to help set the scene for those travelling in for the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It’s a small, but powerful, way to celebrate the talent that sits a step outside the airport doors.

Another partnership that has generated a lot of interest from travellers and the community is Project T-Dot, an exhibit from photographer Ajani Charles, featuring a vast collection of large-scale photographic panels and an interactive screen celebrating Toronto’s diverse Hip-Hop subculture and community. Project T-Dot is the largest art exhibit in the history of the airport. Its launch also featured an in-terminal celebration complete with partners, subjects, a DJ, dancers and more.

Love Local programme

Credit: Nieuport Aviation

Beyond art and culture, we’ve deepened our partnership with the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) through our Love Local programme. This collaboration has brought dozens of local businesses into the terminal, giving travellers an introduction to Toronto’s entrepreneurial spirit upon arrival. Whether it’s artisanal foods, crafts, or unique services, these local offerings add another layer of connection and discovery for visitors and employees alike.

Together, these initiatives reflect our belief that the airport should be an extension of Toronto’s vibrant social fabric.

As we look to the future, we remain deeply committed to building on this foundation. We want Billy Bishop Airport to be known not just as a gateway to the city, but as an integral part of its story – a place where people connect, culture thrives, and community members are represented, all while enhancing the passenger experience.

The next time you’re in Toronto or in the neighbourhood, I invite you to come see our new mural, and indeed all of the community programming at the airport, in person. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or a curious local, these exhibits and initiatives are a great reminder that every brushstroke, every note, and every story is part of what makes our city, and our airport, truly special.

Credit: Nieuport Aviation

About the Author

Credit: Nieuport Aviation

Jennifer Quinn is the CEO of Nieuport Aviation. She has been with Nieuport Aviation since 2021. As an accomplished Executive, Jennifer brings public and private sector experience in strategy, operations, commercial structuring and negotiations, infrastructure and real estate development, and stakeholder relations. Prior to joining Nieuport, Jennifer was a Partner and Government & Public Services Industry leader with Deloitte and also spent nearly seven years in Senior roles at Infrastructure Ontario.

In 2024, she was awarded the Report on Business magazine Best Executive Award from the Globe and Mail and named one of Canada’s top 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. Jennifer has an Honours Bachelor of Accounting from Brock University, a Master’s Certificate in Public Management from York University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant.