Ottawa urged to improve airports

MONTREAL — A coalition of business leaders in Canada’s largest cities is putting pressure on Ottawa to cut security screening times and travelling costs to bolster a prime engine of the country’s economy.

In its first political foray, the Canadian Global Cities Council is pushing to make airports more internationally competitive in order to attract more tourists, enhance economic activity and improve the travelling experience.

The group of Canada’s eight largest urban chambers of commerce unveiled a series of recommendations on Thursday for security screening, border entry and visas, and transit connectivity.

“We want to make sure that Canada can be a global transit hub,” said Adam Legge, council chair and president of Calgary’s Chamber of Commerce.

The coalition says Canada’s top seven airports collectively contribute $59 billion of economic activity and support 272,000 jobs.

The group is calling for enhanced use of technology, the adoption of international security screening standards and targeted checks of travellers from high-risk countries to speed up how long it takes to pass through security.

While London Heathrow and Hong Kong International airports require that 95 per cent of passengers be screened within five minutes, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority expects that on average half of passengers wait longer than 15 minutes.

“We can’t say that we’re open for business and then expect people to wait in a three-hour queue,” Legge added.

The council is calling for increased funding for CATSA and the Canada Border Services Agency to meet growing demands. It also wants Canada to harmonize immigration and trusted traveller programs with other countries. That means only requiring visas for citizens of high-risk countries and increasing the use of automated clearance systems.

The traveller experience can also be improved and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving transit connections from airports to downtown cores and to communities and facilities surrounding airports, it adds. While just eight per cent of passengers at Toronto Pearson airport used transit, about 40 per cent do so in London, Paris and Amsterdam, said the report.

Legge said the government needs to cut taxes, fees and rents that increase the price of air travel in Canada and has driven travellers to use U.S. airports. He said the changes could see one-way travel costs cut by about $25.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced in November that the government will work to reduce waits at airport security to international standards and introduce an air passenger rights regime.