Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) is meeting with design and construction companies about the long-term investment in facilities and terminals (LIFT) program, a capital plan spanning more than a decade, investing billions of dollars into Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Work will be completed through several construction programs aimed at preparing Canada’s largest airport for the challenges and opportunities of the coming years and beyond.
Phase one of the procurement process was launched last week at an industry forum for 700 participants from design, construction, and technology industry companies.
“Through LIFT, we will deliver a world-class passenger experience, integrate smart architecture, unlock the digital potential in air travel, and advance towards a net-zero future,” said Deborah Flint, President and Chief Executive Officer, GTAA. “These plans are anchored to our ambition to build an airport that will strengthen international competitiveness, leverage innovation, and advance sustainability, all which drive economic returns for Canada,” she added.
The first program of LIFT will focus on modernizing airport assets, including high speed taxi lanes to improve airfield performance, modernized airfield electric lighting and control system, interim terminal facilities, and investments in power generation to advance towards net-zero targets.
“LIFT is an investment in Canada’s future economic prosperity and is poised to generate billions of dollars in economic benefits. These necessary investments will strengthen the supply chain, open the door to new opportunities for Canadian businesses, and create good jobs right here in the GTA. Together, they will enable sustainable growth and competitiveness on a global scale,” said Doug Allingham, Chairman of the Board, GTAA.
Enhancements will turn Pearson into one of the greenest, technologically advanced, and passenger-friendly airports in North America and globally.
“This is the very beginning of what will be a decade-long investment in our facilities and our terminals across the airport,” said Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the GTAA.
“After many, many years, where we have had tired and aged assets across the airport facility, we’ll be systematically investing in those, investing in them to bring them up to not just a state of great repair, but positioning them for the future.”
The program will see the modernization of existing airport assets, including high-speed taxi lanes, a modernized airfield electric lighting and control system, and interim terminal facilities, according to the press release. The plan also includes investments in power generation to help the airport achieve net-zero targets.
“After what we experienced with the surge of growth and recovery, the challenges with our facilities in the recent past, we want to get ahead of that as best we can and start to develop those facilities that are going to help us expand sooner,” said Flint.
Over the long term, Flint said she anticipates some moderate increases in Pearson’s Airport Improvement Fee, in consideration of the levels of such fees at other airports in the country.
“These necessary investments will strengthen the supply chain, open the door to new opportunities for Canadian businesses, and create good jobs right here in the GTA,” he said. “Together, they will enable sustainable growth and competitiveness on a global scale.”
Earlier this month, Montreal’s airport authority announced it plans to spend nearly $4 billion to reduce congestion and ramp up capacity.
The planned upgrades to the Montreal-Trudeau International Airport include an expanded roadway past the main entrance, new parking lots and drop-off areas, a satellite terminal and a connection to the REM commuter rail line.