The John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is owned by the City of Hamilton. In 1995, the city purchased the airport lands and buildings from Transport Canada. In 1996 the city transferred management of the airport to the private sector following a competitive tender process. TradePort International Corporation was awarded a 40-year lease to develop and manage the airport. TradePort is a consortium that includes WestPark Developments Ltd., a local developer, the Laborer's International Union of North America, and YVR Airport Services Ltd., a subsidiary of the Vancouver Airport Authority.

TradePort operates the airport through its fully owned subsidiary, Hamilton International Airport Limited.

The Origins of Aviation in Hamilton

Hamilton and area residents have been interested in aviation since 1911. The first airport in the Hamilton area was opened in 1926. It was a privately owned airport named Elliott Field on Beach Road. It was designated as "air harbour" and housed the Hamilton Aero Club and a flight school; one of its first graduates was Eileen Vollick, Canada's first woman pilot.

Hamilton's second airport, the Hamilton Municipal Airport, with two hard surface runways housing several commercial operations, was opened by the City of Hamilton near Red Hill Creek. By 1931, the airport was equipped for night flying. A civil aviation report from that year stated, "Hamilton Airport is owned by the City which has spent $300,000 on its development without assistance from the government… With the exception of Vancouver, no city has made a larger investment in aviation". This facility remained in operation until the transition to the already built military airfield at Mount Hope for public use occurred.

The Mount Hope Airport - The Early Years

Hamilton's airport was built at its present site in October 1940 as a wartime air force training station. The genesis of Hamilton Airport typifies the facilities constructed across Canada early in World War II to meet the needs of the British Commonwealth air-training plan. The airport was originally designed as a multi-purpose military field and was used for flight training, air navigation, telegraphy and air gunnery. After World War II, an R.C.A.F. auxiliary squadron remained, and in 1946 the Hamilton Aero club took occupancy of several vacated buildings and obtained a license for the airfield in 1947.

In the period between 1945 and 1963, a gradual uncoordinated transition from military establishment to a public facility occurred. Responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the facility involved federal, local and private organizations.

In 1952, the City of Hamilton applied for the licence and by the mid 1950's about one-third of aircraft movements were military (including light cargo) while the remainder were predominantly local general aviation. In 1961, Nordair established a scheduled "seaway route" using Dart Heralds and DC-3's but abandoned it 1962 due to lack of traffic.

In 1963, Department of National Defense declared the Hamilton Airport at Mount Hope surplus to its needs and the Department of Transportation assumed ownership and control.

In 1967, an agreement was reached whereby the City of Hamilton would assume responsibility for the maintenance and operation of the airport, and the D.O.T. would provide, maintain and operate a D.O.T. control tower and navigational aids. From 1967 to 1996, Transport Canada supported the air operation through direct subsidy to cover operating deficits and by upgrading infrastructure to ensure the airport met acceptable operation standards.

In 1968, Nordair established a commercial air service at Hamilton and obtained authority for a Hamilton/Montreal and Hamilton/Pittsburgh service, which was inaugurated in May 1969.

1972 - 1993 The Modern Era

In 1972, the Transport Minister announced government plans to upgrade existing airport facilities in Southwestern Ontario and to continue studies to determine the long-term requirements of the area as a whole.

A review of passenger demand estimates indicated that an unexpected increase over previous forecasts would necessitate a complete upgrading of the passenger handling facilities. Strong public opposition emerged over concern for the potentially disruptive social and environmental impacts associated with the construction of a new runway. The Minister of Transportation directed that a study be undertaken to determine the best location for the provision of facilities to service the needs of the Hamilton-Niagara area. The study began in early 1975. Two committees, the Citizens Ad Hoc Advisory Committee and the Intergovernmental Technical Co-ordinating Committee, were established to ensure relevant public input and co-ordination with various governments, federal departments, and agencies.

In the initial phase of the study, four concepts were identified for the development of the existing site and five alternative sites for a new airport for the Hamilton area were researched using the following criteria:

• engineering/technical factors
• air traffic services
• telecommunications
• airspace
• civil engineering
• social/economic considerations
• environmental impact
• ecology and air quality
• noise/displacement impact
• agricultural impact
• ground access considerations
• regional planning considerations
• costs

Subsequent reports by the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee, and Transport Canada (with the Intergovernmental Committee's election to provide technical recommendations to Transport Canada) leaned in favour of improvements to the existing site.

In July of 1980, the expansion program to be undertaken was announced. This planned expansion was to consist of:

• construction of a new 2,400m x 60m (8,000 ft x 200 ft) east-west runway

• new and improved taxiways

• an expanded passenger aircraft apron

• new car parking facilities

• new passenger access roadway to the terminal

• expanded air terminal building

• a new fire hall and emergency equipment

• electrical, water and sewage services

In order to commence construction of the new runway, additional property was required to be purchased by the Crown. This involved the expropriation of various properties on Glancaster Road, Southcote Road and on # 6 Highway. Construction of the project began in the fall of 1981 and was completed in the early part of 1986.

Construction began with the expansion of the passenger aircraft apron and the remaining projects were staggered throughout the term. The runway configuration previous to the expansion consisted of three runways in a triangular pattern common to military air bases during wartime. The groundside which was designed in a rectangular grid, was comprised of a network of military barracks, administration buildings, workshops, and hangars, some of which are still functional and are being used for airport related purposes.

One of these runways, (06/24) was lengthened to 6,000 ft. and equipped with a Non-CAT ILS system and low-intensity approach lights. This was the main runway until the completion of the expansion project. The addition of the new east-west 8,000-foot runway 12L/30R complete with the improved visual and electronic navigational aids enhanced Hamilton airport's ability to attract larger aircraft. The new Air Terminal Building, completed in late 1985 was triple the size of the previous one, enabling HIA to process an estimated 450,000 passengers per year.
In October 1985, the operations and maintenance of the airport was transferred to the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth from the City of Hamilton.

On February 15, 1993, a devastating fire destroyed Hangar # 3, one of the Canadian Warplane Heritage hangers. On September 20, 1994, due to the importance and significance of the CWHM in our community, Regional Council had given its approval to proceed with the construction of a new $12 million Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum with the assistance of Canada/Ontario Infrastructure Works Program funding. The federal and provincial governments contributed $4 million each to the project, the CWHM contributed $3 million, with $1million coming from the Region. A sod turning ceremony took place on September 24, 1994. The new CWHM (Canada's Flying Museum) opened its doors to the public on March 2, 1996.

The Path to a Public/Private Partnership

In 1991 the annual report of the auditor general raised the issue of federal Transportation Department spending on airports. From 1992 - 1993 Transport Canada studied the feasibility of privatizing the airport system. In 1994 Transport Canada announced its National Airport Policy, designed in part to transfer airports to local authorities. In 1993, the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth commissioned a study into the financial viability of Hamilton's airport. This study forecast future profits but also identified up to $60 million in capital spending required to bring the airport up to competitive levels.

In July 1995, the Region signed an agreement to enter into formal negotiations with Transport Canada to transfer ownership of the airport. At the same time, the Region issued an RFP for private sector involvement in the management, marketing and development of the airport.

The TradePort Years

Led by local businessman and builder, Tony Battaglia, of WestPark Developments, and with the operational expertise of the Vancouver Airport Authority, TradePort International Corporation, in a competitive bidding process, was selected by the City of Hamilton to manage and operate the Hamilton International Airport. Also investing in the Tradeport vision was the Hamilton local of the Labourers' International Union of North America.

The Hamilton International Airport public/private partnership is based upon the lease-develop-operate model; the preponderance of risk is allocated to the private sector partner, TradePort International, which is responsible for all marketing, operating, and capital costs of the airport.

Prior to the partnership, the airport was running at a loss of almost $1 million annually. It now generates a profit, at no cost to taxpayers and a profit-sharing relationship with the City of Hamilton will soon take effect.

Since privatization, the airport-related workforce has grown from 726 to more than 1,300 full-time equivalent employees. Under TradePort management, passenger traffic at the Hamilton terminal has increased from 90,000 in 1996 to approx. 900,000 in 2002, and will grow dramatically over the next five years. Air cargo has increased by 50% since 1996; 91,000 metric tonnes of cargo passed through the airport in 2002.

Today, the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport is Canada's largest dedicated courier/cargo airport and one of Canada's ten largest passenger airports

Hamilton International Airport  

Address: 9300 Airport Road, Suite 2206
Mount Hope, Ontario L0R 1W0
 

Tel: (905) 679-1999

URL: http://www.hamiltonairport.com/

E-mail: info at flyhi ca

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