Increase in passenger traffic necessitates moving ahead with design plans, construction date to be decided later

May 17, 2005 (Ottawa) – The Ottawa International Airport Authority today announced that it is beginning the process of designing the $95 million Phase II expansion of the airport passenger terminal and associated apron. The process of requesting proposals from interested parties will begin shortly.

“In 2004 we set an all-time record for the number of passengers who came through our doors,” said Airport Authority Chair, Jim Durrell, in making the announcement and explaining why his board is going ahead with preparation of the design plans. “And the start of 2005 has beat even our most optimistic forecast. Annual increases are usually in the 2 to 3 percent range. We are continuing to see increases of 9 and 10 percent year over year.”

Airport Authority President and CEO, Paul Benoit, oversaw the building of the passenger terminal that was completed in October 2003. That project came in six months early, and on budget, all without the help of government subsidies.

“We are building on the success of the new terminal. This phase will give us the complete design and the contract documents within a year,” said Benoit. “Throughout the process, we will be monitoring market conditions to establish the right time to go ahead with construction.”

“Having the design in place so we can move ahead only when it makes sense will also give us cost certainty when we do finally break ground,” said Benoit. “It will also allow us to move ahead quickly when the time is right – we can’t afford to be the bottleneck that prevents growth like we were prior to the opening of the new Passenger Terminal Building.”

There is good news for both the traveler and the taxpayer, added Benoit, stating that there are no plans to raise the Airport Improvement Fee and that the entire project will be paid for once again without the use of taxpayer’s money.

OMCIAA operates Ottawa International Airport without government subsidies under a 60-year lease transfer agreement with Transport Canada. The OMCIAA’s mandate is to manage, operate and develop airport facilities and lands in support of the economic growth of the National Capital Region