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March-April 2008

Since last December, the Canadian Airports Council has been working on a new Web site, which will serve as the primary public "face" for the association. It is now up.

In contrast to The Airport Link, launched last year for internal and CAC committee work, the new Web site is primarily for providing information to the public and will have no restricted-access areas. As with the current site, the new CAC Web site provides archived access to press releases, newsletters, presentations, government submissions/position papers, speeches and other documents.

As the voice of Canada's airports, the CAC also communicates information about the value of Canada's airports to the public. On the Web site this role is prominent through a "Reaching Beyond" theme and enhanced information for the general public. Prominently accessible from the new home page are three separate storylines, still being developed, illustrating how Canada's airports "reach beyond" for the community, for the economy and for Canada. These areas are to be built up with additional content over the coming months.

Coinciding with the launch of the new site, the CAC promotes a new Web url at www.canadasairports.com (the old url diverts to the new site automatically).

The aim is for the site to be nearly completely bilingual, an improvement over the current site, and accessible in French via www.lesaeroportsducanada.com (or via anywhere on the English site). The French site will be launched next month after all the squirrels have been worked out of the English site.

CAC/Globe and Mail Annual Supplement Attracting Advertiser Support

As a reminder, the Globe and Mail supplement sales team is now filling advertising positions for the second "Canada's Airports" Globe and Mail supplement, to be published in June. Sales are scheduled to end April 10th, so interested advertisers must act quickly.

The objective is to build off the first-ever airports supplement produced in the Globe (to view the electronic version click on the image to the right) to coincide with Airports Week 2007. Among its topics, the report will include themes of:

Gateways to the community - Canada's airports represent vital gateways to their communities for trade and tourism, not only within Canada, but also to the world.
Improving the flow - As the "front door," airports are often a visitor's first and last experience with a community and have an interest in ensuring a safe and enjoyable visit.
Environmentally responsible - Airports are investing in newer, more energy efficient facilities, and proactive environmental programs are also helping decrease the environmental footprint of airports.

The Globe and Mail is an advertisement-driven project. For more information, please download the information sheet and contact your Globe account manager, or project manager
Richard Deacon at 604.631.6636, or via e-mail.

Now Available Doing our Part The CAC's 2007 Annual Report The CAC Annual Report, which will be distributed to members, is now available for electronic download. The document follows the theme of "Doing Our Part," a major theme of CAC communications initiatives during 2007.

YOUR COUNCIL
CAC Holds Successful Inaugural CEO Forum

The CAC earlier this month held its inaugural CEO Forum in Toronto, an event deemed a success by the level of speakers and depth of discussion that took place March 10th and 11th.

The discussion included thought-provoking and confidential presentation from the following presenters:

Ms. Anya Oram, Head of the Economic and Commercial Affairs Section of the European Commission Delegation to Canada
Mike Tretheway, Executive Vice-President, InterVISTAS Consulting Inc.: What's on aviation's horizon
Louis Ranger, Deputy Minister for Transport Canada: What is the long-term direction of Transport Canada
Rick Byers, Executive Vice President, Borealis Infrastructure on funding options for privatization
Don Drummond, Senior Vice President & Chief Economist of TD Bank Financial Group on Canada's economic outlook
Nick Andrews, Senior Vice President and Partner, Fleishman Hilliard and enviro.aero

Most CAC board members were among the attendees, who said the event should be held again in 2010.

CANADIAN NEWS
U.S. Projects Slower Transborder Growth

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration recently released its 2008-2025 forecast, which envisions traffic demand slowing and an increase in capacity for this year. Envisioned is continued growth in the transborder sector, albeit slower than the growth projected by Transport Canada in its preliminary forecast.

Traffic growth in the Canada-U.S. transborder market is forecast to be close to that of the domestic U.S. market, averaging 3.3% a year over the entire forecast period. This includes 3.1% for 2008, increasing to 3.7% in 2009 before slowly tapering off to 3.2% a year by 2013.

The FAA's projection is less optimistic than the preliminary forecast from Transport Canada. According to the preliminary forecast, which still could be revised before the final release in March if economic conditions dramatically deteriorate, transborder traffic is projected to increase 3.6% in 2008 and a higher 4.3-4.5% a year after that through 2011.

In 2008, U.S. system wide capacity is projected to grow 2.7% as mainline carrier domestic market capacity increases slowly (0.3%) while regional carrier capacity growth remains modest.

International markets from the U.S. continue to see healthy projected growth in capacity, especially the Atlantic, spurred on by the anticipation of the new U.S. - EU open skies treaty. Mainline carrier system capacity is projected to increase 2.7% for the year while regional carrier capacity rises 2.5%.

Total passenger traffic between the United States and the rest of the world is estimated to total 147.1 million for 2007, 2.9 percent higher than in 2006. Economic growth in both the U.S. and the rest of the world drives international passengers up 5.5 and 6.1 percent, respectively, in 2008 and 2009. For the balance of the forecast, average annual U.S. and world economic growth of 2.6 and 3.1 percent, respectively, leads to international passenger growth averaging 4.5 percent a year, and totaling 331.5 million in 2025.

Labour Minister Establishes Work Stoppages Inquiry

As anticipated, Minister of Labour Jean Pierre Blackburn has announced an inquiry into work stoppages in Canada's federally regulated sector. Partly spurred by the ongoing attempts to legislate a ban on the use of replacement workers, the inquiry is also due to the minister's perception that Canada has a relatively high rate of work stoppages.

According to a press release from the department, a 2005 international comparison of labour disputes by countries of the OECD found that from 1996 to 2005, Canada ranked first amongst G7 countries in the number of person days per worker lost due to labour disputes (It has been pointed out to the minister that these figures would include not only federally regulated industries, but also provincially regulated ones).

"Time lost to strikes and lockouts is an issue that concerns me because of its impact on Canadians and the economy," said Minister Blackburn. "When a long lockout or strike occurs, there are no winners."

The study aims to identify the underlying causes of work stoppages.

Peter Annis, LL.B., Doctorate (France) has been appointed to lead this study. Mr. Annis will consult with unions and employers and submit a report to the Minister of Labour with recommendations on how to reduce the risk, frequency and duration of work stoppages in the federal private sector.

The CAC has requested a meeting with Mr. Annis to discuss airport perspectives and concerns on this issue.

Feds Confirm $1.35 Million in Funding for Kelowna International Airport

The federal government last month confirmed a previously announced $1.35 million in federal funding for the expansion of Kelowna International Airport.

Funding for the Kelowna airport expansion project is being delivered by Western Economic Diversification Canada through the federal Mountain Pine Beetle initiative. A federal commitment in principle was made in October 2007. The required due diligence on the project is now complete and the contribution agreement has been finalized.

"The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to Kelowna," said Kelowna-Lake Country Member of Parliament Ron Cannan on behalf of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister and Minister of Western Diversification Rona Ambrose. "Our investment of $1.35 million for the airport expansion will generate business opportunities and enhance the thriving tourism industry in the Central Okanagan region."

The project will extend the north end of the main runway by 1,200 feet and the south end by 400 feet. The project includes installation of blast fences at both ends of the runway, and minor upgrades to airside aprons to accommodate international long-haul passenger aircraft.

The total project costs are $8 million. In addition to the federal contribution, the Province of British Columbia is contributing $1.35 million, and the City of Kelowna is committing $5.3 million.

British Columbia is experiencing the worst Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak recorded in Canada. Forecasts indicate at the current rate of spread, 50% of mature pine in B.C. will be dead by 2008 and 80% by 2013. The City of Kelowna in the Central Okanagan region is situated within the area affected by the beetle infestation and the airport funding is related to the MPB initiative's mandate to support economic diversification and infrastructure in affected communities.

Since 1991, Canada's airports have invested in $9.5 billion in capital infrastructure projects, 95% of which have been self-funded.

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Bernard LeBlanc Named to Lead Saint John Airport