in the 1990s, the agency was requiring annual subsidies to manage the island airport and the port lands. there were a number of harbour commissions in canada and the federal government replaced the law under which harbours were managed, with the "canada marine act". most ports were put under the authority of local governments and several were put under the authority of new 'port authority' agencies which would manage their affairs on a break-even basis. toronto's was added to the port authority program, largely at the insistence of local liberal mp dennis mills. in 2001, the new toronto port authority was formed to manage the port of toronto, including the island airport.