Ontario recently announced nearly $10 million in funding for the expansion of Niagara District Airport.
The investment, part of the province's Destination Niagara Strategy, aims to improve travel for the region's more than 14 million annual visitors while attracting even more.
St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe calls the province's support essential to improving the region's accessibility.
"I'm happy to see the province recognize the value that this proposition could create for Ontario," he said.
The 97-year-old airport is jointly owned by the municipalities of Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake — three communities that are underserved by commercial air travel.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said the project will greatly benefit the region.
"We're working on critical infrastructure upgrades, and we're going to be in a position to unlock Niagara's full potential, not just as a world-renowned tourist destination but also as a hub for economic development," Diodati said.
Diodati also stressed the importance of the investment in what he described as Canada's largest regional population without regular scheduled passenger flights.
"Right now, you can only get here really by rubber tire," he added. "This is going to give us the opportunity for people to travel from greater distances."
Siscoe echoed those comments.
"We are the largest jurisdiction in Canada that doesn't have an international airport, and there are a lot of really good reasons to have one from an economic standpoint," he said.
Despite being Canada's largest tourist attraction, drawing about 14 million visitors annually, Niagara Falls remains limited in commercial air access. Diodati said the airport is currently an underperforming asset because of those accessibility challenges.
Niagara District Airport CEO Daniel Pilon outlined plans to better support the region's tourism industry.
"We're trying to move from a general aviation- and charter-based airport to one that supports scheduled commercial service," Pilon said. "We have an Air Canada service that we just started a month ago that connects to Pearson, and then another service that connects to Billy Bishop Airport that we're starting next month, so this is really starting to change the focus of what the airport is in Niagara."
According to Pilon, the last time the airport received an investment of this size was in 2011, when upgrades were made to the terminal building and taxiways. He said the province's latest investment will fund the next phase of the airport's expansion.
"This is going to allow us to do all of the design work necessary for something exponentially larger," Pilon said. "This money allows us to do the design phase for that project."
The design phase includes a nearly 3,000-foot runway extension to accommodate larger aircraft, a new terminal building, taxiway improvements and a combined services building that will house fire services and operational staff.
The project has been met with widespread support across the Niagara Region. However, Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa said residents should remember the project is still in its infancy.
"It's important for our residents to understand there's still a long way to go," Zalepa said. "This is going to start a plan so that we can then go forward with more public consultation as to how the services are going to look."
Pilon also said the province's funding is only the beginning and that future phases will require additional investment.
"As we get to a more refined number for what it's going to cost, that's when we identify the investment piece, and then we go out and bid and build, probably 18 to 20 months out," he added.
Land acquisition is another challenge the airport will need to address as the project moves forward.
"I recognize that when we talk about expansion, it has real impacts on people's lives and properties and what that looks like," Pilon said. "We have a lot of work to do there, discussing what that would look like."
Zalepa expressed confidence that any land acquisition would be handled responsibly.
"Landowners will be involved in the conversation if their property becomes part of the interest, and there are rights and responsibilities that both parties will have to make sure are followed," he said.
Although the project remains in its early stages, municipal leaders say the airport is a long-term investment that will create jobs, strengthen the regional economy and improve travel options for residents and visitors alike.
