Lift off for Toronto Pearson’s development programme

Greater Toronto Airport Authority today marked the start of construction on the first major programme under Pearson LIFT, its phased, multi-billion-dollar programme to modernise and expand Toronto Pearson.

Pearson LIFT is designed to renew infrastructure, advancing technology–driven operations, revitalise and expand facilities to support Toronto Pearson’s growth for the next decade and beyond.

The initial phase of the first major programme of Pearson LIFT includes a $3 billion investment in airside and baggage systems, unlocking space for millions more passengers and delivering a smoother, faster and more reliable journey from kerb to gate.

It includes the introduction of smarter airfield technology such as new airfield lighting control and management system to enhance visibility and guidance designed to support an intelligent network that controls and responds to movement across the runways and taxiways.

This state of-the-art system is reflective of Toronto Pearson’s digital ambition and sets a foundation to enable future navigation and guidance systems that make smoother and more efficient aircraft movements on the ground.

Also on the agenda are:

• Greener airport operations: Expanded electric vehicle charging, cleaner heating systems and energy network upgrades to support lower-emission operations as the airport grows.

• More reliable baggage: Investments across approximately 30 kilometres of baggage infrastructure including new baggage carousels in Terminal 1, as well as new cameras and sensors for early issue detection for better visibility and clearing jams to minimise down time.

• More space for growing operations: An expanded and renewed 2.2 million square metre airfield – equivalent to more than 1,000 NHL–size hockey rinks – including new aircraft stands and a high–speed taxiway to improve movement between gates and runways, supporting up to 28,000 additional passengers per day.

This work, says the GTAA, will lay the foundation for Toronto Pearson to be future–ready, resilient, digitally enabled and built to deliver exceptional passenger experiences.

“Today marks a pivotal moment, the culmination of three years of planning, analysis,  competitive procurement and collaboration with industry partners and air carriers to deliver a state–of–the–art airfield that will make Toronto Pearson one of the most efficient and digitally-advanced airports in the industry,” said Deborah Flint, president and CEO of Toronto Pearson.

“This is an investment that increases capacity for global trade with Canada. Passengers can be more confident in their journeys through North America’s 2nd most internationally-connected airport.”

Enabled by Pearson LIFT, Toronto Pearson can grow to serve 65 million passengers a year, creating 16,000 new jobs at the airport, supporting more than 160,000 jobs nationwide, contributing $30 billion to the economy and generating more than $10-billion annually in spending with Canadian suppliers, based on independent analysis.