Airport Authorities

Mandate:

21 airport authorities are designated pursuant to s. 2 of the Airport Transfer (Miscellaneous Matters) Act. Each airport authority leases its airport(s) from the federal government and is solely responsible for operating, maintaining, and developing the airport(s) in accordance with the terms of the lease between the authority and the federal government.

Airport authorities are private, not-for-profit, non-share capital corporations. They are not Crown corporations, nor agents of the Crown. Airport authorities are incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, the Regional Airports Authorities Act (Alberta), and the Corporations Act (New Brunswick).

Airport authorities provide airport facilities and related infrastructure to allow ongoing commercial air service, including runways, air terminal buildings, baggage handling facilities, check-in facilities, facilities to allow government inspection, and for various ancillary activities.

Airport authorities are primarily infrastructure providers, not service providers and, with few exceptions (e.g., de-icing at Pearson), ground handling and related services (e.g., baggage handling, catering, fueling, check-in) are provided directly by airlines or by entities hired by airlines.

An airport authority’s board has between 9-15 directors. The governance structure is composed of member/directors nominated by: the Minister of Transport (2 per authority); the provincial government (1 per authority); local municipalities (varies); and local non-governmental organizations (varies). Directors have a fiduciary duty to the airport authority and not to the entity that nominated them.

Per the National Airports Policy, airport authorities are to be financially independent. Authorities set their own fees and meet their own costs, through charges to aircraft operators, passengers, and commercial revenues. Some exceptions have occurred through various government infrastructure programs.

Below is the list of the 21 airport authorities and their CEO and Chairpersons.