BCBusiness

S p e c i a l F e a t u r e welcomed a record 19.4 million passengers in 2014, up from 18 million in 2013, and it expects to see its annual passenger count top 20 million by the end of this year. YVR also saw the volume of cargo handled in 2014 increase to 256,900 tonnes (from 228,300 tonnes in 2013). From fresh seafood like crab and geoduck to produce like berries and mushrooms, B.C. exports a number of perishable products that must be quickly and carefully shipped by air. All of this growth is fuelled by new services, increased capacity and new routes, such as China Eastern Airlines service to Kunming; Air Canada Rouge service to Osaka; Air France's long- awaited YVR-Paris service; and Philippine Airlines between Manila, YVR and New York. New service next year includes Air Canada to Brisbane, WestJet to Orlando and Gatwick and Air Transat to Rome. "It's a time of exciting growth for YVR, which will help us deliver on our vision is to be a world-class sustainable connecting hub between Asia and the Americas and meet our ambitious goal of 25 million passengers by 2020," says Anne Murray, Vancouver Airport Authority's vice president of marketing and communications. "And with new routes and services come more opportunities for international travel and trade, more jobs and more economic benets for B.C." It's an exciting time for other airports, too. Passenger records at Nanaimo Airport ( YCD) have been broken every year for the last ve years, with more than 270,000 people passing through in 2014, up 20 per cent from 2013. Its commercial airline partners, WestJet and Air Canada, expanded their services in the last year, and the arrival of Kenmore Air with its Nanaimo to Seattle ¦ights brought international connections to the airport for the rst time. According to its 2014 annual report, Nanaimo Airport's value as a major driver of community economic development could nearly double over the next decade. By 2020, there will be more than 2,000 full-time direct and indirect jobs generated by activities at the airport, meaning more than $150 million contributed annually to the regional economy, the report estimates. Central to this growth is YCD's long-term land-use planning strate§y to generate revenue with a focus on future generations' aviation needs. Nanaimo Airport has one of the largest available land bases for development of any airport in close proximity to YVR. More than 50 hectares of the approximately 200-hectare site is available for airside and groundside development, which could serve aviation- based businesses such as freight and courier operations, aviation support services, aerospace education and training, air transport dependant businesses, aircraft storage and maintenance, retail and restaurants for airport users and more. "Given that we are 12 minutes away by air from YVR and we've got over 50 hectares of land available adjacent to our taxiways available for development, we're perfectly set up to be part of the aerospace community," says Nanaimo Airport CEO Michael Hooper. "When you can ¦y here that quickly from Vancouver, we can become part of a mega project for the aerospace industry. We have cost-e©ective land, plus a fabulous living environment for employees. Who wouldn't want to be working in aerospace in Canada where you can golf in the winter?" Nanaimo Airport is hosting the BC Aviation Council's annual conference next spring, which will focus on the aerospace industry. YCD is also a member of the Vancouver Island Aerospace Association, which is helping get the industry o© the ground in the region. "There is so much enthusiasm," Hooper says. "We're at the bottom of the growth curve for aerospace in Western Canada, and it's an excellent opportunity for B.C." Abbotsford Airport ( YXX) is helping fuel the aviation and aerospace industry's expansion. Central to YXX's growth are strategic partnerships with airlines and aviation businesses, and a competitive, business-friendly operating mandate.

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