‘Best year in cargo charters:’ Edmonton International Airport rolls out $36-million cargo area expansion

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Passenger travel is down to a trickle at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) but cargo flights are looking up following a $36-million expansion.

The federal government last week announced it’s pitching in $18 million towards the expansion of the airport’s apron area by 47,000 square metres. At roughly five-and-a-half CFL football fields, that’s enough room to house five cargo planes at the same time. A runway to the apron will also be constructed.

The expansion follows a significant decrease in passenger travel at the airport, which reported nearly a 70 per cent drop in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Myron Keehn, vice-president of air service and business development, said while fewer people are travelling, the airport has one of the busiest years on record for cargo flights.

“We had a phenomenal year, the best year in cargo charters,” he said.

“What cargo is really about is driving regional economic prosperity within the Canadian landscape. This investment in cargo infrastructure really established both Canada and Edmonton’s leadership in global logistics and promoting trade and clean exports and really helps position the region for the post-COVID-19 recovery.

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“This is about the federal government’s commitment and understanding of how important national trade is and allowing our businesses to both import and manufacture…(and) also to export goods that are made here.”

Last year, the airport handled 46,000 metric tons of cargo, a 7.5 per cent increase from 2019. Keehn said 2020 was outstanding year for cargo charter flights with planes arriving from all over the world including Columbia, Turkey, Europe and Asia. He said Edmonton’s northern location is advantageous because of its accessibility.

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In contrast,  there were a total of 2.6 million passengers in 2020, 5.5 million fewer people when compared to 2019, according to the EIA. The biggest year-over-year decrease was from April to June where activity dropped by 92.1 per cent. Airports across the county have been struggling financially since the pandemic started in March last year.

And though the boom in cargo operations is uplifting, Keehn said it contributes a small percentage to the airport’s finances.

“Cargo doesn’t park a car or purchase duty-free in the airport or eat a meal or shop,” he said.

Keehn said the airport is currently assessing the impacts of new travel restrictions mandated by the federal government earlier in February.

The cargo expansion project also includes a new hydrant system to provide faster and more efficient fuelling, fewer trucks on the apron and an increase in capacity for cold storage cargo by 1,400 square metres, bringing the total to nearly 2,000 square metres.

Construction is anticipated to start in the spring, weather permitting, and wrap up sometime in 2022.

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