FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Canadian Airports Council’s Response to Government’s Policy Statement on Investment at National
Airports System Airports
Ottawa, ON, March 7, 2025 –
The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) welcomes the Government of Canada’s recent policy statement, which clarifies the investment tools currently available for National Airports System (NAS) airports and sets policy direction to explore lease extensions.
Canada’s airports play a critical role in connecting people, supporting trade, and driving economic growth. Canada’s major airports were privatized in the early 1990s to operate under a more efficient and effective business model. Since that time, airports have invested over $30 billion in growing, improving, and expanding infrastructure to meet the evolving needs of air travel. Canada chose this self- funding model instead of a taxpayer model to ensure that these national infrastructure assets could meet the growing demand for air travel and capitalize on trade opportunities. In the decade ahead, Canadian airports plan to invest $28 billion to accommodate growing passenger demand and diversify trade markets, which will support both local and national growth.
“Airports have long advocated for greater financial flexibility in their ground leases and extensions to unlock investment opportunities that could benefit both the community and travelers,” said Monette Pasher, President of the Canadian Airports Council. “We are pleased to see this policy statement that will allow airports to explore the extension of airport ground leases, which would provide the long-term stability needed for significant capital projects and infrastructure development on airport lands and business parks.”
Airports have extensive experience working with private partners on the development of airport lands, and today’s announcement provides a policy basis that will enable us to continue along the path we’ve been pursuing. Extending ground leases is a crucial step in attracting more private investment partners, especially from Canadian pension funds and institutional investors. These changes will offer the certainty necessary for investors to commit to large-scale projects, further enhancing airport campus services and driving economic growth at both the local and national levels.
“It is just good business to have more financial tools in the toolbox and access to longer investment terms is part of that,” stated Pasher. “It’ll be up to each airport to look at their opportunities and assess what is needed to accelerate growth and trade for their respective communities.”
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About the Canadian Airports Council
The Canadian Airports Council (CAC), a division of Airports Council International-North America, is the voice for Canada’s airports community. Its 60 members represent more than 100 airports, including all of the privately-operated National Airports System (NAS) airports and many municipal airports across Canada.
Prior to the pandemic, Canada’s airports supported nearly 200,000 jobs, generating $13 billion in wages and $7 billion in taxes to all levels of government.
For more information, please contact:
Julie Pondant, Canadian Airports Council
julie.pondant@cacairports.ca
