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Together, Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa airport authorities applaud Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for commenting that he’s not interested in selling off Canada’s major airports to fund the construction of new roads, hospitals, and other projects. Trudeau’s comments were made during an interview with Bloomberg News while in Toronto on April 20, 2017.
“We have been advocating to maintain the current airport governance model and we are pleased to hear Prime Minister Trudeau say, ‘”I’m interested in actually drawing in fresh capital to build new things.”‘ These comments reflect the best interest of Canadians, our partners, and the community.
“Canadian airports operate under a not-for-profit governance model giving us the flexibility to best meet the needs of the communities we serve while investing in customer service and airport infrastructure,” said an Ottawa International Airport Authority official. “As such, Canada has some of the most efficient, modern and competitive airports in the world. We do so while receiving no government funding and by paying the government millions in rent each year. A sell off of Canadian airports to private investors would have resulted in a one-time cash grab by the federal government and an increase in costs for passengers and aviation partners.
“While we are pleased to hear the comments about not selling off Canadian airports, we will continue to protect and educate the public on the value of the existing airport system.”
