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Opportunity is in the Air: Southern Ontario Airports Prepare for Growth

Paris Air Show Delegation Announced at SOAN Summit

TORONTO – Today the Southern Ontario Airport Network (SOAN) hosted its 2019 SOAN Summit at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, where leaders from Southern Ontario airports, the carriers that serve them, and the businesses and communities they support discussed the value and economic opportunities facing the region’s airports.

During his keynote address, Howard Eng, President and CEO, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) highlighted that demand for air travel in Southern Ontario continues to soar and Southern Ontario’s airports are ready to support the growth. Mr. Eng noted, “As we look to the future of this growing region, we know that each of our airports will have an important role to play.  Collaboration allows each airport to focus on the roles it can play and develop their own businesses to leverage their individual strengths and regional demands.”

Since coming together in 2017, SOAN has been raising awareness of the growth coming to the region and how Southern Ontario airports are working together to support the upcoming demand. It is estimated that by the 2040s, more than 110 million passengers will want to travel in to, out of, within and through the region. That growth is already being seen by SOAN airports. In the last four years, Southern Ontario airports have seen growth in air service, as well as investment and expansion by local aviation companies:

  • The development of more point to point services for passengers has led to more than 52 million passengers having more choice in how they travel into, out of, within and through Southern Ontario;

  • More investment and development activity on airport lands has brought jobs and economic development opportunities to the communities SOAN airports live in; and,

  • The collective impact of the SOAN airport operations contributed roughly $2.3 billion in tax revenue for municipalities, the provincial and the federal government. 

Mr. Eng announced that, given the growth in demand and the expected population increase in Southern Ontario, combined with the capacity and land available at these airports, it is time to tell the story globally.  To that end, a delegation will go to the 2019 International Paris Air Show, the largest and longest running aerospace trade show in the world.  Members of the delegation include municipal leaders and representatives of economic development offices and airports. The delegation will showcase Southern Ontario’s airport and aviation assets to an audience of 300 delegations from 100 countries.

Media contact - contact@soairportnetwork.com

The Southern Ontario Airport Network is comprised of eleven commercially significant airports in Southern Ontario: Toronto Pearson International Airport, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Hamilton John C. Munro International Airport, Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, London International Airport, Oshawa Executive Airport, Niagara District Airport, Peterborough Airport, Region of Waterloo Airport, Windsor International Airport and Sarnia Chris Hadfield Airport.  Located in Canada’s most economically productive and fastest growing region, each airport shares the goal of utilizing the available capacity at their airports to support the diverse needs of their communities and in turn, developing economic opportunities locally, regionally, provincially and nationally. For more information: www.SOairportnetwork.com