Ontario Construction News staff writer
The federal government will spend up to $30 million to build a new preclearance site at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport for U.S. -bound travellers.
The facility is needed to increase security and connectivity for travellers; reduce airport congestion and transportation bottlenecks; and expand capacity.
“PortsToronto and its partners, including Nieuport Aviation and Porter Airlines, have been working towards securing preclearance for nearly a decade, as it will further enhance the passenger experience by offering passengers the ability to clear customs on home soil using next-generation technology intended to make the process quick and convenient,” PortsToronto president and CEO R.J. Steenstra said in a statement. “Preclearance will also provide access to more US markets which will boost connectivity and bilateral trade and tourism between Toronto and the eastern US.
“This will have a tremendous economic impact on the city in terms of GDP, generating jobs, and attracting talent and investment.”
Construction will last 18 to 24 months and the site will enable Billy Bishop Airport passengers to clear customs in Toronto, rather than having to clear customs when landing at US airports. Preclearance will also open new markets in the US, as travellers can now access smaller US airports that do not have US CBP, and therefore cannot accept travellers that have not been precleared.
There are currently 15 US CBP preclearance locations in six countries around the world including eight at Canadian airports.
The federal government will provide up to $30 million towards capital funding for planning, design and construction of the preclearance facility at Billy Bishop Airport. The funding will assist PortsToronto and partners to build the facility by 2025.
Billy Bishop Airport is the ninth busiest airport in Canada and the fifth busiest serving US markets. The airport traditionally welcomes approximately 450,000 US passengers per year.
“Preclearance at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) will contribute immensely to the convenience and seamless experiences that passengers expect,” said Neil Pakey, CEO, Nieuport Aviation. “Today, YTZ provides connectivity to four U.S. destinations, but with preclearance, travellers could see that number reach 15 or more.
“Whether it’s Bay St. to Wall St. or Yorkville to Soho, U.S. customs preclearance at Billy Bishop Airport will deepen business ties with our largest trading partner, while also boosting our visitor economy in Toronto by helping with conventions and exhibitions, hotel bookings and the nighttime economy.”
The benefits expand much further than Toronto, Pakey added, by connecting Ontario and eastern Canada to critical markets in the United States. Research shows that preclearance at Billy Bishop will stimulate $4.8 billion in economic impact, create 32,400 new jobs, and save the equivalent of $28 million in monetized time savings for passengers.”
Billy Bishop Airport is an international gateway generating more than $470 million in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year and supporting 4,740 jobs and providing a base for medevac services connected to local hospitals.