Abbotsford issues call for help to turn airport into an economic driver for region
Seeking ‘ world- class’ expertise to maximize opportunities for growth
The City of Abbotsford has issued a call for help in assessing how to turn its airport into a major economic driver for the Fraser Valley, anticipating to boost revenues by more than $ 2 million by next year.
A tender issued this month seeks “world- class expertise to assist in the ambitious plan to maximize significant opportunities for the future.”
The review would look at marketing the airport as well as operating models that range from contracting the service to a private sector operator or consortium to a fully independent airport authority or a fully integrated city department.
The airport is now run by an airport authority that reports to city hall.
“What we’re really trying to assess is the best way to operate the airport,” said Jean- Paul Laube, business development manager for the Abbotsford International Airport.
“We’re marketing ourselves as the Fraser Valley’s airport so we view ourselves as having to have the infrastructure in place to go out and bring in business.
“The No. 1 priority is maximizing the airport as an economic driver.”
The airport, which has undergone a $ 30- million expansion, has become the largest secondary airport in Canada, with more than 460,000 passenger movements per year.
The renovation project has also positioned Abbotsford toward its goal of attracting new airline routes and accommodating more than two million passengers per year by 2025, according to the tender.
The goal is to make Abbotsford airport the “premier mid- sized airport in British Columbia” by boosting passenger traffic, adding routes, creating cargo and commercial capacity and generating job opportunities.
About 1,400 now work at the airport, Laube said, but that number fluctuates as a result of
We’re marketing ourselves as the Fraser Valley’s airport so we view ourselves as having to have the infrastructure in place to go out and bring in business. The No. 1 priority is maximizing the airport as an economic driver.
JEAN- PAUL LAUBE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR THE ABBOTSFORD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
seasonal operations.
The city is in the midst of an economic impact study on the airport, which is due in the next few weeks.
Laube said a future focus will involve increasing aerospace opportunities, perhaps by developing an industrial park on site, and leading a business delegation to China. Laube has been in touch with the provincial government on partnering in a trade mission to Asia, he said, and is trying to assemble a list of aerospace delegates who would like to attend.
The move, he said, would help existing companies at the Abbotsford airport as well as boost economic opportunities in the city. China has a large number of aerospace manufacturing companies, he said, and local companies could benefit from trade relations as well as investment.
The airport wants to grow its revenues by $ 2 million by 2013 ( from $ 1.2 million net profits in 2011) and by about $ 5 million by 2025.
“The advantages are significant,” he said. “Our objective is two- fold: to help those companies grow and launch delegates to international markets like China and attract new businesses to come to the airport.”