Achi news desk-
Aéroports de Montréal says it plans to invest nearly $4 billion between now and 2028 to improve access to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.
Speaking to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on Thursday, Aéroports de Montreal president and CEO Yves Beauchamp said there is a “race” to be ready to accept more passengers.
“We have four years to be able to welcome four million more than today,” he said.
The investment plans include adding parking, building a new landing stage, improving road access, connecting to REM and adding a pier for new satellite gates.
Officials say air travel numbers have increased in the wake of the pandemic.
Montreal’s airport welcomed 21 million passengers in 2023 — 32.3 percent more than 2022 and 4.1 percent more than 2019, before the pandemic.
The number of passengers is also 8.4 percent higher than in 2019.
In his speech, Beauchamp insisted that Aéroports de Montreal has enough capital to make its investments between now and 2028.
“The wheel has started turning again and we will have the resources needed for our 2028 flight plan,” he said.
He also said he was open to turning to private capital for follow-on investments, something the chamber asked the federal government to allow during pre-budget consultations.
Beauchamp adds that “larger-scale” investments are planned between now and 2035, “for which new financial tools will be needed.”
— This Canadian Press report was first published in French on April 4, 2024.
