Senate Committee — TRCM — Brief — hamiltoninternationalairport_e

TRCM / Brief / hamiltoninternationalairport_e

Senate Committees

Written Submission to the Senate Committee of Canada Standing Committee on Transportation and Communications Regarding The Study on the Impacts of Climate Change on Critical Infrastructure in the Transportation and Communications Sectors and the Consequential Impacts on Their Interdependencies May 13, 2024

2 INTRODUCTION John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (Hamilton International or Airport) serves as a global gateway in a strategic transportation and trade corridor and is an economic engine that generates significant jobs, industry activity and GDP, attracts tour ists and facilitates trade and investment activity.

The Airport’s latest Economic Impact Study demonstrated that, in 2021, Hamilton International was responsible for over 4,700 jobs in the Southern Ontario region, a marked 35% increase since 2017, along with labour income of $340 million, $537 million in GDP and $1.5 billion in total economic output. Hamilton International is focused on providing consumers with affordable air travel options and enabling time sensitive air cargo to flow to and from domestic and international markets without delay.

Hamilton International is Canada’s third largest cargo airport by payload and the country’s largest overnight express air cargo airport, making it a critical link in the national supply chain. In 2023, 746 million kilograms in total cargo aircraft billable weight went through Airport facilities, a 40% increase over pre-pandemic cargo activity in 2019. Air cargo continues to be a crucial enabler of the global economy as air transportation is vital to supporting international trade and global distribution networks.

The Airport is owned by the City of Hamilton and managed under an agreement by TradePort International Corporation (TradePort), a wholly owned subsidiary of Vantage Airport Group. Hamilton International works to provide airport infrastructure and capacity for the efficient facilitation of passenger activity while ensuring domestic and international goods move without bottlenecks, in turn strengthening the national supply chain for Canadians. Hamilton International is committed to building a cleaner, greener future in collaboration with the aviation sector and government.

It Is important to Hamilton International to be net zero by 2030. It is also important there are continued investments to support resilient and sustainable airport infrastructure that can support Canada’s national trade and transportation sector during implementation.

As part of the Airport’s commitment to climate action, Hamilton International appreciates the opportunity to provide this submission to Senate’s Transport & Communications Committee’s Study on the Impacts of Climate Change on Critical Infrastructure in the Transportation and Communications Sectors and the Consequential Impacts on Their Interdependencies. HAMILTON INTERNATIONAL’S NET ZERO PATHWAY In 2021, Hamilton International announced its commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, representing a significant first step in the Airport’s climate action leadership role.

The Airport recognizes the main contributor of emissions in the aviation industry are related to aircraft movements, traffic and business partner facilities. Within the Airport’s immediate scope of net -zero commitments are ground operations and green house gas (GHG) emission reduction, primarily natural gas consumption and fuel (91% of all emissions). The Airport also recognizes the role it plays in supporting other partners, including airlines and cargo operators, in reducing emissions within their respective scopes of impact.

Hamilton International, like many airports, participates in environmental certification programs. In 2022, Hamilton International’s carbon management processes were recognized with a Certificate of Accreditation under ACI’s Airport Carbon Accreditation – an institutionally endorsed program that independently asses ses and recognizes the efforts of airports to manage and reduce CO 2 emissions. Hamilton International will continue to use best-in-class resources in environmental management and

3 sustainability to achieve further reductions in key resource usage performance indicators and advancing its accreditation levels as part of this certification process. Hamilton International has already invested in measures to reduce its carbon footprint. Two recent examples include its ongoing Gateway Expansion and Sustainability Project and recent improvements in equipment utilized during weather events to improve operational efficiency and decrease its climate impacts through fuel reductions.

The Gateway Expansion and Sustainability Project , announced in 2023, is a two -year initiative jointly funded by the Government of Canada through the National Trade Corridors Fund (NTCF) and airport operator, TradePort. This initiative will alleviate current constraints being experienced on domestic and international cargo movements , while simultaneously supporting improvements in environmental measures.

Included in this investment is the strengthening, rehabilitating and expan sion of the airfield, improving stormwater management systems through onsite de-icing water treatment and construction a dedicated roadway for cargo operations. The Airport has also made improvements to the wide range of equipment and snow removal practices it uses to keep surfaces clear and operational, including mauler/sweeper combinations, snow blowers, chemical trucks, loaders and plows , all of which are primarily fueled by diesel or gasoline.

In 2023, the Airport added a dump trailer towed by a tractor and a chemical sprayer towed by a pick -up truck to improve operational efficiencies and thereby reduce fuel consumption . Adding the dump trailer dramatically reduced the number of trips to relocate snow piles by nearly 80%, significantly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Similarly, during past freezing rain events, the typical practice was to deploy three mauler/sweeper combinations to sweep water off the surfaces to minimize the amount of ice build- up.

Pre -treating surfaces with a chemical sprayer minimizes the number of sweeps required and , therefore, reduces the fuel used to clear ice from operational surfaces. These changes saved the equivalent of fuel required for a round-trip from Hamilton to Thunder Bay in a loader for the first season of implementation. The Airport continues to identify opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and is taking steps toward electrification of its fleet.

The Airport continued to build on its path to decarbonization in 2023, engaging a leading Canadian multi- disciplinary design firm, WalterFedy, to complete a Decarbonization Assessment and an Investment Grade / Net Zero Energy Audit. WalterFedy completed a comprehensive utility use analysis, including various airport facilities, fleet and airfield, lighting and other assets , to determine baseline and reference points for the Airport’s GHG reduction efforts.

This analysis is informing Hamilton International’s 2024-2030 strategy, including mitigation procedures and priority investment areas, for achieving the Airport’s net- zero emissions targets. That strategy will see Hamilton International invest $20 million over the next 10 years to meet the Airport’s net-zero commitment . The Airport will work with business partners to reduce emissions associated with aircraft movements, improve technologies, increase the efficient use of aircraft and airport infrastructure, and enable use and supply of sustainable aviation fuel .

The Airport will also continue to invest in measures to increase the Airport’s climate resilience as a response to extreme weather events, including construction of the new storm water treatment system, geothermal loops, EV chargers, fleet electrification, improving HVAC, heating and cooling systems, and transition to an all-LED airfield, further supporting low visibility operations during fog events.

4 The Airport is continually reviewing and assessing risks to its business and taking steps to both mitigate the impact of climate change on its operations and to mitigate the environmental impact of its operations. The recent audit and analysis, the 2024-2030 strategy, and planned investments are informing Hamilton International’s climate action measures. The Airport remains a critical link in Canada’s national supply chain, supporting the local, regional and national economies.

As climate change impacts continue to impact airports and the broa der supply chain across the country, it is critical that government and businesses align efforts toward reaching net zero targets. RECOMMENDATIONS Hamilton International recognizes the Government of Canada for its continued investments in aviation, and specifically its investments in Hamilton International. Government policies and funding in recent years have enabled Hamilton International to grow it s operations and continue to generate significant employment and economic benefits for the region and the country.

However, the aviation industry and Hamilton International continue to face critical challenges and barriers, including ensuring supply chain efficiency, the impacts of climate change, reducing its carbon footprint, ensuring adequate infrastructure and technology, and enabling efficient, reliable and affordable movements. Hamilton International’s ongoing and planned investments and actions, alongside those across the aviation sector, are already and will continue to advance the Federal Government’s Aviation Climate Action Plan.

Government has a critical role to play in supporting airports across the country in the shared responsibility to reduce air pollution, reduce GHG emissions from aviation and address the climate change impacts of this sector. The sector and Hamilton International need the Government of Canada to continue prioritizing airports and the aviation sector in its policies, funding and initiatives as we collectively work toward sustainable, efficient, reliable in transportation infrastructure in Canada.

Hamilton International appreciates the opportunity to present its recommendations to the Senate for consideration: Recommendation 1: Ensure existing and new funding sources are available to airports for aviation - specific investments in infrastructure that support the transition to low -carbon, reduced emission operations across the sector, and that all airports are eligible for such existing and new funding sources, regardless of size, ownership models or other limiting criteria.

All airports across Canada are integral to driving economic growth in their regions, ensuring connectivity of people and goods from coast -to-coast-to-coast, and beyond, and all are facing the same pressures to decarbonize, introduce new technologies and invest in climate resilient infrastructure to meet current and future needs and expectations of passengers and cargo partners. Airports are also faced with aging infrastructure that requires multi-year capital investments to continue to serve the needs of the supply chain, and do so in a greener, cleaner manner.

Hamilton International is a regional airport with large capabilities that is targeting net-zero by 2030 with a plan that does not rely heavily on carbon offset . The Airport, like others across the country, requires continued investment from federal government programs to ensure successful capital delivery .

The Government of Canada has existing funding programs that can be leveraged to support airports in keeping pace with the ever -evolving demands on the sector , including but not limited to the National Trade Corridor Fund (NTCF) and the Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP), and funding opportunities through Transport Canada, Economic Development, Canada Infrastructure Bank. Broadening parameters

5 of existing funds to increase eligibility for airports and/or evolving criteria to include airports regardless of size, location, ownership models and other limiting criteria will only serve to advance investments in climate-resilient and low-carbon infrastructure and solutions, which normally do not have attractive rates of return, drive further economic benefits in all regions and enhance the connectivity of people and goods across Canada.

Similarly, the Government of Canada has the ability to introduce new funding mechanisms and accelerate new funding programs to support innovation in aviation, including investments in strategic transportation and infrastructure projects that are designed to reduce emissions while growing Canada’s competitive advantage for efficient, reliable cargo and passenger movement. Ensuring such investments can be leveraged over multi-year periods and are accessible to all airports is essential.

Recommendation 2: The Government of Canada deliver and enable investments that are specifically intended to accelerate the aviation sector’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change impacts, including developing a national Sustainable Aviation Fuel supply chain and supporting multi-partner investments. Canada’s aviation sector has already made significant commitments to and investments in reducing its carbon footprint.

Airports are working together and investing in efficiencies and changes to equipment, airport infrastructure, sustainable aviation fuel ( SAF) supply and setting standards toward reduced greenhouse emissions. Advancing that work through appropriate economic incentives and by developing a national SAF supply chain is key to decarbonizing aviation and ensuring Canada, and its aviation sector, are positioned to meet climate change targets.

Hamilton International strongly recommends the Government of Canada implement the SAF roadmap promoted by the Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (C-SAF) to develop a domestic supply of SAF. SAF is key to the success of Canada’s Aviation Action Plan and decarbonizing aviation. C -SAF has presented a roadmap that can ensure Canada has a domestic source of SAF to meet national targets and is a plan that the Government of Canada should strive to follow.

Additionally, as Hamilton International will specifically invest tens of millions into decarbonization projects to attain Net Zero goals, the Airport recommends the Government of Canada continue providing specific funding sources, as well as enable investments in partnership with third parties, to help airports meet these targets. Net zero goals in Canada, or in aviation, cannot be achieved without cross -collaboration and support, particularly given financial constraints affecting many airports.

To that end , dedicated funding that supports investments in green airport infrastructure and initiatives, alongside regulatory and policy changes that enable better collaboration between airports and third -party investors and/or business partners must be considered. CONCLUSION Building a cleaner, greener future will require a sustained and collaborative effort from all involved, including airports, airline s, the broader aviation sector and all levels of government.

Hamilton International asks the Senate Committee to consider the recommendations noted herein as necessary measures for the creation and maintenance of sustainable climate-resilient infrastructure and operations at Canada’s airports.

6 Hamilton International is fully committed to its net zero targets and is prepared to continue collaboration with the aviation sector, government and other partners in ensuring a robust and resilient transportation network across the country. The above recommendations will help reduce the economic impacts of the required changes while stimulating innovative, proactive and sustainable initiatives that will benefit airports, the aviation sector and the communities they serve. The aviation sector is working tog ether to take real climate action, and, with government support, we will be able to move faster and go further.

Document details

Collection	Senate Committees
Citation	TRCM / Brief / hamiltoninternationalairport_e
Type	committee
Volume / chapter	441 / Brief / hamiltoninternationalairport_e
Language	en
Format	pdf
Source	COMM_SEN
Identifier	79740928f0eeee77d67183bbe15a8c5b91d15cd7

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