"We don't have the funds. It is an expensive venture," White said. "The best route is to partner with the federal, provincial (governments), and corporations."

There are just six giant pandas in North America, at zoos in San Diego, Atlanta and Washington. Each zoo pays China for the privilege of housing the animals, which still technically belong to China.

But Michael O'Sullivan, executive director of the Humane Society of Canada, said the society would fight the idea of bringing pandas to Toronto.

"We would explore every legal measure possible, including public pressure, to stop the transport (of pandas)," he said.

O'Sullivan said importing a pair of pandas would place further stress on the dwindling panda population, which has fallen over the past 25 years to near-extinction levels. There are roughly 1,000 pandas in the wild, all in southwestern China.

"Taking two of the world's most critically endangered species and shipping them half way around the world in crates and then putting them on display - I don't think is going to do anything to increase protection of a species that has almost vanished."

O'Sullivan said Toronto would do better to raise money to help Chinese reforestation programs and anti-poaching measures to protect the pandas and their habitat.