Government funding boost for Canada’s Hamilton International Airport

The Canadian government is to invest of up to C$23.5 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund for an expansion and sustainability project at John C Munro Hamilton International Airport.

This project, which will cost close to C$47 million, will allow the gateway to handle increased cargo operations by improving and expanding airfield capacity, increase its de-icing capacity, and build a new independent road to reduce congestion.

According to the government, the investment will have significant economic and employment benefits for the region, such as reducing supply chain congestion, facilitating the movement of goods and creating good jobs for Canadians in the region.

Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, said: “The John C Munro Hamilton International Airport is an important trade hub for key economic sectors such as transportation, warehousing, agriculture, automotive, manufacturing and more.

“This significant funding will help the airport manage the growth of cargo operations in this strategic trade corridor, while providing opportunities for access to global markets and creating new permanent jobs.”

While the airport’s executive managing director, Cole Horncastle, noted: “Hamilton International Airport, Canada’s third largest cargo airport by payload, serves as a global gateway in a strategic transportation and trade corridor, and is an economic engine generating significant jobs, industry activity, and GDP.

“This support from the National Trade Corridors Fund will enable Hamilton International Airport to advance investment to expand and strengthen its airfield and critical assets, create new full-time jobs, generate additional economic activity, and ensure that existing infrastructure under pressure today will be ready to support current and emerging growth well into the future.”

The National Trade Corridors Fund is a competitive, merit-based programme designed to help infrastructure owners and users invest in the critical transportation assets that support economic activity in Canada. A total of C$4.7 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) has been allocated to the programme.