TORONTO — The Greater Toronto Airports Authority has selected a Canadian-led consortium to deliver the first construction package in Toronto Pearson International Airport’s multi-billion-dollar LIFT redevelopment, while opening bidding for a sweeping makeover of Terminals 1 and 3.
The Pearson Accelerator Construction Team — a general partnership of Kenaidan Contracting Ltd., Alberici Constructors Ltd., Amico Major Projects Inc. and Obayashi Canada Ltd. — will handle the “Accelerator” phase, which includes early air-side, utility and building-systems upgrades.
The four firms, which together have worked on more than 170 airport projects worldwide, will be supported by a design joint venture of Egis Canada and Mott MacDonald, with architectural and engineering input from Weston Williamson + Partners, WSP Canada and Woods Bagot.
The work will proceed under a progressive design-build contract, a collaborative model the GTAA says will help speed decision-making and control costs.
“These two major milestones are advancements of Pearson LIFT, investing in vital Canadian infrastructure to position Toronto Pearson to compete well into the future. Reinforcing Canada’s global connectivity is critical to strengthening supply chains and growing Canadian innovation, business, and jobs,” said Deborah Flint, president and CEO, Toronto Pearson.
Pearson LIFT — short for Long-term Investments in Facilities and Terminals — is a decade-long capital program aimed at modernizing and expanding Pearson into a more sustainable, digitally-focused airport. It comprises three key components: the Accelerator phase now underway; Gateway, a future expansion to handle projected demand of roughly 65 million passengers by the early 2030s; and the T1/T3 Revitalization, which will upgrade passenger-processing areas, commercial space, building systems, parking and groundside access.
GTAA officials say the program is needed to replace aging infrastructure, meet shifting passenger expectations for seamless and digitalized journeys, and prepare for a future shaped by new aircraft, alternative fuels and data-driven operations.
At the same time, the authority has launched a competitive procurement for the T1/T3 Revitalization program, with tender documents posted on the MERX platform and a shortlist expected in 2026.
Pearson handled 46.8 million passengers in 2024, up 4.4 per cent from the previous year. The GTAA says the LIFT program will generate thousands of skilled-trade and professional jobs, with future construction packages to be posted on MERX.
