HISTORY of

CANADIAN AIRPORTS
 Importance of History

Understanding the train of decisions leading up to

todays facilities and policies
Understanding the composition of the legacy physical
plant
Understanding the environmental legacy
Understanding the importance of politics in the planning
process
 History of Canadian Airports
First flight Bras dOr Lake, Baddeck, Nova Scotia, 23 Feb.
1909
World War I 1914-1918 aviation leapt forward
1920s bush flying grew as a means of accessing massive
country and military promoted aviation for defense
purposes airports were largely farmers fields
1930s saw massive Federal intervention in building
airports as a means of creating employment during the
Great Depression
Based on flying clubs a string of aerodromes were built
across the country encouraged by Federal money
Air mail service pushed this development of airfields along
 History of Canadian Airports
1936 Federal Department. of Transport was created
separate from military
1937 Trans Canada Airlines was created and the
government further developed the airfields in support of
this Crown Corporation
1940s - World War II - British Commonwealth Air Training
Plan - Massive airfield construction - Military took over all
larger municipal fields
1950-80s - Post war policy - Federal Government
Leadership - if municipalities couldnt develop the airports
the Federal Government was prepared to step in. Over
the years more and more municipalities dropped out and
the Federal role in airports grew.
Some provinces also supported smaller airports (e.g.
Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta,)
 History of Canadian Airports
New policy approach for the 80s
deregulation (economic not safety),
disposal of Air Canada,
disposal of infrastructure (Navcan, Airports).
Commercialization brought on by:
difficult fiscal situation for the Federal Government,
the leadership regarding privatization provided by the Carter
Administration in the USA ,
political ideological bent for less government,
and common sense in that the original policy objectives had
been met
 History of Canadian Airports
First airports to be privatized in the early 90s were
Edmonton, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver under
Progressive Conservatives as LAAs.
Liberals continued the privatization policy under the
National Airport Policy (CAAs) but with greater emphasis
on accountability. Pearson was privatized in 1996.
The current policy has been a success in that it has lead to
a significant nationwide investment in airports but the
Federal Government has been criticized for the rent
extracted which arguably may be reducing the
competitiveness of Canadas airports
Full privatization? Recommended in the 2016 Canada
Transportation Act Review (David Emmerson)
 Trend

Simple Complex
Public Private
Utility Business
Typical Evolution of an Airport

Cross Wind
Runway

Runway

High Speed
Taxiway

Taxiway
Parallel Taxiway

Terminal
Area
Example - History of Lester B.
Pearson International Airport

Physical Facilities History

 HISTORY of L. B. PEARSON
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
first envisaged in 1931, seaplane base & aerodrome
on the Islands (there was strong opposition from
cottagers living on the islands and from others who
wished that the area be developed only for
recreational purposes)
1937 site finally chosen near Malton Village.
Construction completed in 1938 with two hard
surface runways (914 x 46 meters). First terminal
was a farm house.
1939 Wooden Terminal Bldg. constructed identical to
that on Toronto Island (35m x 12m)
Malton Airport 1937
Malton Layout - 1948
N
23
14
Terminal
5500
10
28

05 32
Toronto Intl Layout - 1957
N
23
14
Terminal
7200

05
11050

9500
32
 TIA Layout - 1964
N
23R
14

0
T-3 T-4 23L
05L 11050 T-1 T-2

9500
32

05R
 Pearson Layout - 1977
N
24R
15

0
10500 T-1 T-2 24L
11050

06L 9500
33

06R
 Pearson Layout - 1991
N
24R
15L

T-3
10500 24L
T-2
11050 T-1

06L 9500
33R

06R
 Pearson Layout - 1996
N
24R
15L

15R T-3
10500 24L
T-2
11050 T-1

06L 9500
33R

33L

06R
 Pearson Layout - 2002
N
23
15L

11050
15R T-3 T-1 24R
10500 T-2
IHT
24L
05
33R
9500
33L
9000

06L
06R
 Pearson Layout - 2012
N
23
15L

11050
15R 24R
T-3
10500
IHT T-1
24L
05
33R
9500
33L
9000

06L
06R
 Pearson Layout - 2012
N
23
15L
Fire Hall
Hangar
s
FEDEX 11050
15R Air Cargo
24R Instrume
Complex T-3
10500 nt
Infield Landing
Terminal
T-1 Systems
Control 24L
05 Fire Tower
Training
Area Hangars 33R Airport
Maintenance
9500 Fire Hall
33L 9000
06L
06R
Pearson in 2017
Pearson Passenger Traffic Growth

Traffic:
1946 180,307
1952 558,820
1962 1,480,000
1972 7,960,522
1982 13,716,341
1992 20,027,884
2002 25,930,363
2012 34,911,850
2016 44,335,198
Passenger Traffic Growth at
YYZ YYZ Pas s e nge r Traffic

50,000,000

45,000,000

40,000,000

35,000,000

30,000,000

25,000,000

20,000,000

15,000,000

10,000,000

5,000,000

-
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Y ear
Aircraft Traffic at YYZ
YYZ Aircraft Activity

500

450

400

350

300

Movement s
250
Avg. A/ C Size

200

150

100

50

-
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Ye a r
 YYZ A v g. A i r c r a f t S i z e

120

100

80

A vg. A / C Si ze
60
Gr owt h T r end

40

Long run Average Growth = 1 seat per year

20

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Y ear
Planning History of Pearson

Political History
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Late 1967 Parkins study

recommends expansion
of Malton (now called
Pearson) and in Aug 68
Federal Cabinet
approves planning
package for a Dorval
replacement airport
(Mirabel) in Montreal
and expanded facilities
at Malton (i.e Pearson)
 Pearson Passenger Traffic Growth
12

10
E&D Passengers (millions)

0
1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Sep 68 Six hundred Toronto

residents attend first
meeting of Society for A/C
Noise Abatement and in
Dec 68 Mississauga
Homeowners Association
presents brief opposing
expansion at Malton

and in response in Apr 70

M.O.T. planners recommend
a site for a new airport to the
Northwest of the city (in the
Orangeville area)
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

May 70 consideration of
Malton expansion
restored to agenda and in
Jul. 70 Phil. Bienhaker
(consultant to MOT)
advocates expansion of
Malton as best means of
satisfying and the
Torontos aviation needs
- M.O.T. task force leader
resigns
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Jul 71 Transport
Minister (Jamieson)
accepts proposal for a
system of small airports
to supplement Malton
and in Dec 71 agrees to
build first new airport
East of Toronto (to
support Province
development plans)
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Mar 72 Announcement of Pickering made by both

Federal and Provincial Governments and in June 72
Council of Municipality of Metro Toronto and City
Council endorse Pickering Project
Sep 72 Public Works informs property owners of
intent to expropriate land and major opposition to
Pickering begins (P.O.P = People or Planes).
Nov 72 Formal public hearings held on
expropriations and in Jan 73 expropriations are
confirmed but Minister (Marchand) announces
postponement of one year to allow time for
concerned community groups to participate in the
review process. (It should be noted that the Federal
Liberal Government lost their majority in an election
in Oct. 72)
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Spring 73 well organized opposition to project at

DPW public meetings in Pickering area persuade
Minister of Public Works to establish a
Compensation Review Committee
Oct 73 Inquiry Commission (headed by Justice
Gibson) established to receive and record new
evidence on the need for a new airport and the
choice of site. Proponents and opponents to be
given opportunity to state their case.
Dec 74 Inquiry recommends expansion of Malton
(second runway 14-33) and full scale development
of Pickering
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Feb 75 Federal Cabinet

drops expansion at Malton
but plans minimum
international airport at
Pickering (one runway, one
terminal). July 75 Minister
Marchand announces
preparatory work will begin
at Pickering before end of
July 75. Aug. 75 Bulldozers
arrive on site along with
protesters.
(Premier Davis persuades
Marchand to hold off until
after provincial election)
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Sep 75 Davis loses

majority, and
announces opposition
to further work on
Pickering, Marchand
terminates work
early 1980s, traffic
downturns, Minster
(Otto Lang) places a
planning moratorium
on Toronto Intl Airport
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

1984 -Aviation domestic

industry de-regulated, traffic
growth resumes with a
vengeance, particularly
turboprops and by the
summer 1988 Pearson
experiences extreme
terminal and airside
congestion, cap (70
operations / hr.) put in place
to manage traffic
Jul 89 Federal Cabinet
announces a strategy for
aviation in Southern Ontario
based on maximum
expansion of Pearson to
justifiable limits
 Pearson Passenger Traffic Growth

25
E&D passengers (millions)

20

15

10

0
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Nov 89 Environmental
Assessment Review Panel
(EARP) appointed
Mar 90 EARP Scoping hearings
held
May 90 Environmental Impact
Study (EIS) Terms of Reference
Issued by EARP
Apr 91 EIS was submitted to the
EAR panel
Dec 91 Public hearings held to
review EIS
Feb 92 EARP begins
deliberations on findings
Nov 92 EARP report presented
to Transport and Environment -
recommends against expansion
 Political History of
Pearson/Pickering
Feb 93 Minister announces
intent to construct 4th
runway at Pearson (15R-33L)
anyway citing larger
economic and social
interests
Summer 93 preparatory
construction works gets
underway ($25 million
worth), pending privatization
of the airport system
Oct 93 Federal
Conservatives loose election
to the Liberals Construction
stopped!
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Local Liberal Task

Force established to
review the decision to
proceed with expansion
- construction halted for
summer of 94 - hearing
convened
Fall 94 Task Force
Report endorses
expansion
Spring 95 construction
resumed
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Summer 96 Local opposition groups (ratepayers)

threaten a law suit to stop the North-South runway
Dec 96 Greater Toronto Airports Authority takes
over responsibility for airport and endorses
Transport Canadas airside plan for the new
runways
Fall 97 design work begins on fifth runway (3rd
East-West Parallel 06R-24L)
Nov 97 MOT and GTAA open new (4th) runway 15R-
33L

A process begun 30 Years before (Nov 1967) finally

reaches fruition with something getting done (by
Nov. 1997)!
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering

Summer 2001 Minister

Collinette (Toronto)
announces GTAA as
Proponent of Pickering,
Purchase historic house an
H.Q., Start planning regional
reliever airport
Summer 02 Political
advisory panel established
Spring 03 Financial
feasibility study completed
and work on draft master
plan for Pickering started
Fall of 2004 Pickering Master
Plan tabled and public open
houses held
Political History of
Pearson/Pickering
Spring 05 Opposition Groups (VOCAL) demonstrate
Fall 05Transport Canada demands due diligence
review prior to Environmental Assessment
Fall 05 Government falls Election called win only a
minority
Spring 07 - GTAA awarded contract to complete due
diligence / business case for Pickering
Fall 09 GTAA tables report on due diligence with
Transport Canada (minority government still in power)
Spring 2010 Election called Conservatives win a
majority
Summer 2013 Minister Flarety announces that there
will be a future airport on the Pickering lands when
warranted.
 Political History of Pearson/Pickering
Summer 2013 -Porter Airlines
requests that Toronto City
Centre Airport (Billy Bishop
Airport) be expanded (runway
lengthened) to allow jet
operations
City approves feasibility study
Town Hall meetings called
Opposition groups No Jets
TO form to oppose this
development
Fall 2015 Minister
commissions a review of the
Pickering Option by Dr.
Polonsky
Conservatives lose the 2015
fall election, Minister Garneau
immediately cancels the
runway expansion project
What next?????????
 External Politics
Airports are about politics, even today after
devolution from government
Because of their:
Economic importance, particularly in an
increasingly global economy
Physical impact on the communities (noise)
Government continues to struggle with the
issue of finding the right public policy for
airports , particularly regarding governance,
public utility and monopoly status
Progress can be slow and will be paced by
political windows and economic conditions
 Appendix A - Plus Factors
Pearson Passenger Traffic Growth
E&D Passengers / Year (millions)

35.00

30.00
Open Skys 95.& LCCs
25.00

20.00 De-reg 84
15.00 Mode Shift
10.00 Jet from Rail
A/C
5.00

0.00
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
 Appendix A - Minus Factors
Pearson Passenger Traffic Growth
E&D Passengers / Year (millions)

35.00 9/11
30.00 SARS
91 Gulf
25.00
War 03 Iraq War
20.00 83 93
15.00 !st Recession Recession
Energy
10.00
Crisis
5.00

0.00
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
 Toronto - Pearson 64 Years Ago
1937 Malton was Considered a good Site well
removed from the city smoke and fog
Firsts:
1st Official Landing 29 Aug. 1938
1st Airline - American Airlines DC3 31 Aug 38
1st TCA Electra 18 Oct 38
Was to be called Bishops Field not approved by
council
Aircraft manufacturing started in 1938, built
Lancasters and other models until 1945. Avro Aero
first flew at Malton 1958 now Boeing Corp
World War II rapid expansion including hangars ,
last removed in 1961
Toronto Pearson International
Airport in 2014 (47 years later)
 Appendix B - Whats in a Name ?

1937 Toronto Municipal Airport

Bishops Field almost
Oct 1960 Malton International Airport
Nov 1960 Toronto International Airport
(Malton)
1984 Lester B. Pearson International Airport
1999 Toronto Pearson International Airport