Canada’s largest airport, Toronto Pearson, is getting a little work done. Today, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) announced the initiation of conversations with design and construction companies for its Pearson Long-Term Investment in Facilities and Terminals (LIFT) initiative. Toronto Pearson execs will launch the first phase of a procurement process today at an industry forum for 700 participants from design, construction, and technology industry companies.
This gets the ball rolling on the planning and vision of the program.
According to a press release, LIFT is a capital plan that will span over a decade and invest billions of dollars into the airport through several construction programs. The goal is to take the airport into the future, preparing it for the challenges (and there will be challenges) and opportunities of the years ahead.
In the release, the GTAA says that Toronto Pearson has been meeting passenger needs by “deploying extraordinary resources,” something it says is not a sustainable solution. It highlights how passenger traffic is expected to grow to approximately 65 million annually by the early 2030 – something it says takes the airport well beyond its 45 million passengers in 2023.
To meet this anticipated demand, a focus on affordability, smart design, and sustainability is front and centre.
“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.”
LIFT’s first program 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,” said Doug Allingham, Chairman of the Board, GTAA. “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.”
In the meantime, frequent flyers will be waiting to hear what other changes could be in store for the sprawling airport most of us love to hate.
