February News & Updates
Bill C-23 to Boost Preclearance Access to the U.S.

An important piece of legislation is making its way through parliament. Bill C-23, An Act respecting the preclearance of persons and goods in Canada and the United States (Preclearance Act), modernizes and expands the existing preclearance agreement with the U.S. and will make it faster and easier for nearly 12 million travellers to fly from Canada into the U.S. each year.
Daniel-Robert Gooch
Canada and the U.S. have a long history of preclearance operations. Currently, there are eight Canadian airports that have this service (Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Halifax).

Among other things, Bill C-23 creates a mechanism for new airports to seek preclearance services and provides existing preclearance airports greater control and flexibility in their services.
 
The preclearance arrangement with the United States provides Canadian airports a significant advantage attracting air service in a globally competitive marketplace. Preclearance also offers a tremendous customer service benefit to business and leisure travellers while supporting economic benefits for tourism, trade and overall business productivity.

Canada's airports look forward to working with the Government of Canada on the implementation of this important initiative and will continue to look for ways to identify innovative processes for the future that will increase the competitiveness of Canada's airports.
 
Government of Canada news release

Did You Know?

The air transport industry contributes over $35 billion to Canada in GDP.

Our airports support over 140,000 direct Canadian jobs.
Toronto Pearson Unveils Plans for a Transit Centre 

The Greater Toronto Airport Authority is moving ahead with plans for a regional transit centre to connect the airport area to key employment and residential areas throughout the Greater Golden Horseshoe in Southern Ontario.

The area around Toronto Pearson is the second largest employment zone in Canada after downtown Toronto according to NEPTIS Research Foundation. More than 300,000 people work in the zone that includes parts of Brampton, Mississauga, and Toronto. Due to the lack of transit in the area, NEPTIS found that the area generates more than 1 million car trips daily.


"By the time New York and Chicago were the size that Toronto is today, they each had at least two major transportation hubs," said Howard Eng, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. "Now is the time to ensure that better transit options are in place; otherwise we risk squandering the significant opportunities that are part and parcel of the exciting growth that the airport, the city and the region are experiencing."

The GTAA's proposed transit centre located on airport lands will help to address the low transit mode split in the area, with only 10 per cent of people taking transit. The centre will potentially connect a number of transit lines that are already in development or have been proposed by various levels of government.

The centre will be at the heart of a new mixed use commercial area that will include office, retail, hotel and other commercial space. The vision for the area around the transit centre calls for improved streetscapes through sidewalks, landscaping, and improved lighting.

The GTAA has held preliminary discussions with all levels of government to raise awareness about the opportunity for the regional transit centre at Toronto Pearson. It anticipates continued planning discussions this year both for the centre, as well as for the individual transit lines that will connect into the centre.

"Better connections regionally and around the world boosts the competitiveness of Brampton businesses," said Todd Letts, chief executive officer of the Brampton Board of Trade. "Toronto Pearson's vision for a multi-modal transit centre will be an important driver for the development of our local economy."

Toronto Pearson News Release

New Instrument Improves Reliability of Flight Operations

After the first full year of operation, a newly installed landing system at the St. John's International Airport has increased airfield accessibility by 99 per cent during low visibility conditions.

About 920 flights that would have previously been impacted by low visibility conditions were able to operate on schedule as a result of the new system, known as the Category III Instrument Landing System (Cat 3 ILS).
  
YYT's newly installed approach towers, a component of the CAT 3 ILS approach lighting system
"The positive impact that this system has had on the accessibility of our airport in year one has surpassed our expectations," said Glenn Mahon, director of operations at the St. John's International Airport Authority. "In the long term, the improved reliability of our airport will reverse our region's reputation for being an inaccessible location, especially during the foggy season."

The implementation of the new instrument landing system creates substantial, long-term benefits
One of the first aircraft that landed using CAT 3 ILS at the St. John's International Airport
to the airport, passengers, airlines and the entire community. With greater predictability of flight operations for leisure and business travellers, the region will experience increased opportunities for tourism and conventions.
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The Airfield Accessibility and Safety Initiative was a cost-shared project with the airport authority, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada.
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The St. John's International Airport supports an average of 80 commercial flight operations each day. In total, the airport handles about 45,000 aircraft movements each year with general aviation, cargo, corporate and military traffic included.

The St. John's International Airport is the fourth airport in Canada to use

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Airport News

Three Airports Launch Joint Website on Airport Privatization
 
Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver international airports unveiled a joint website on February 1st that highlights what they say are risks of selling airports to private investors. The website discusses the impact a sale of airports would have on travellers and local communities. The federal government is exploring options around a potential sale of Canada's major airports, turning them into for-profit enterprises run by private investors. The website can be viewed at: www.noairportselloff.ca


Renovations Planned to Meet Demand at Prince George Airport

The Prince George Airport is undertaking in more than $600,000 of renovations and operational upgrades to increase efficiencies and enable future growth for daily flights and new airlines. Among some improvements are new d igital signage that has replaced the existing manual signs in the hold room, allowing up-to-date information to be displayed for passengers.  The Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) is contributing more than $368,000 of the funds to support terminal renovations.


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