Waterloo International Airport is focused on growing its scheduled air service to meet the needs of the local community.
They may have a different management structure to some of their larger counterparts, but Canada's municipally owned and operated airports make an equally important contribution to their communities and regional economies.
For example, Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia serves the entire Okanagan Valley where four season tourism and agriculture underpin the region's economy and are the foundations for future growth.
And across the country, the Region of Waterloo International Airport in Ontario, which is also municipally owned and operated, has carved a niche for itself even though the country's busiest airport, Toronto Pearson International, is an hour's drive away – when traffic co-operates.
Airport director Sam Samaddar says Kelowna International served about 1.6 million passengers in 2015 and expects growth of close to 8 per cent this year.
"In essence, our role is to support business activities, increase tourism opportunities, and ensure that we develop the best and the greatest amount of air access for our residents, as well as the visitors that come to our region," he says.
Growth is being driven by several factors including a weaker Canadian dollar, which is promoting domestic tourism from the east and drawing more American visitors.
"We've made a concerted effort to attract traffic from the Greater Toronto Area," says Mr. Samaddar. "This past summer, Air Canada's Rouge service had a daily flight to and from Toronto using an A321 aircraft with over 200 seats, that's on top of a WestJet 737 operating out of the same market."
Region of Waterloo International Airport manager Chris Wood says a 2015 study valued the airport's regional economic impact at $90-million. The airport's ongoing challenge is to keep itself relevant while existing in the shadow of Toronto Pearson.
It does so, says Mr. Wood, by serving the needs of the community including business people who can fly in and out, companies that need air cargo services, and by having aviation-related businesses such as the Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre, one of the largest professional flight training facilities in the country, located at the Region of Waterloo International Airport.
"We are also working hard to grow our scheduled air service so that the community can use their local airport, instead of having to drive to others," he adds.
Partnerships are important to both Waterloo Region and the Okanagan.
Mr. Samaddar says Kelowna International has developed strategic partnerships with regional businesses that would benefit from increased air traffic.
"For example, we have joint marketing campaigns to promote a specific destination or the region as a whole," he adds. "Obviously, skiing in winter and the winelands in summer are major attractions in the Okanagan, and those are a big part of our focus to attract visitors."
The Region of Waterloo International Airport has a similar approach, partnering with its local tourism and economic development organizations. Having a full-service airport is lucrative in helping to attract talent and businesses to Waterloo Region in addition to the spinoff benefits to existing businesses such as hotels, ground transportation companies and restaurants.
"Compared to some of the larger airports, we are more affordable and also are able to provide just-in-time services to keep manufacturing lines running. We may need to work a little harder; however, we understand they are important to the vitality of our community, and we work closely with them," says Mr. Wood.
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