Government of Canada releases policy statement on airport investment

March 7, 2025                      Ottawa, Ontario                    Transport Canada

Every year, Canada’s airports welcome millions of passengers, connecting people within and outside of Canada and serving as important economic drivers. Investments in these airports strengthen business development, improve aviation services and safety, and enhance access to transportation for Canada’s rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

Today, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, on behalf of the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, the Honourable Anita Anand, released a policy statement on investment for Canada’s National Airports System airports. This statement is a commitment from Budget 2024 to support and encourage investments in airport facilities.

The National Airports System is made up of 26 airports, 22 of which are run by private, not-for-profit airport authorities. While these authorities are operationally and financially independent, the airports themselves are located on land leased from the Government of Canada.

The policy statement highlights the existing flexibilities under the governance model for Canada’s airport authorities to attract investment, including from pension funds.  It outlines three avenues, subleases, subcontracts and subsidiaries, for private investors and developers to collaborate with airport authorities.

The policy statement also indicates that the government intends to explore negotiations to extend airport authority leases to facilitate third party investment and development projects on airport lands.