‘Transformation’ of Toronto Pearson among largest airport projects in Canada’s history

In what’s being described as one of the largest airport infrastructure projects in Canadian history, officials at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga broke ground Monday on a multibillion-dollar “decade-long transformation” that promises to modernize and expand the country’s biggest and busiest airport.

A creation of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which runs Pearson, the airport’s Long-term Investment in Facilities and Terminals plan (Pearson LIFT) has been in the works for years. It’s a blueprint that spans more than 10 years and invests billions of dollars into the airport “through several construction programs aimed at preparing Canada’s largest airport for the challenges and opportunities of the coming years and beyond,” GTAA officials said earlier.

Initial funding of some $3 billion gets the process started with the first phase of a “state-of-the-art airfield modernization program to deliver a better, more efficient airport experience for passengers, airlines and trade partners,” Pearson officials said Monday, adding the construction start “marks a historic moment for Toronto Pearson and for Canada.”

Through Pearson LIFT, the airport will be modernized and expanded, with a focus also on “renewing infrastructure, advancing technology-driven operations, and revitalizing and expanding facilities to support Toronto Pearson’s growth for the next decade and beyond,” the airport said in a news release.

Toronto Pearson Airport is Canada’s biggest and busiest air hub.

The initial phase of the first major program, the GTAA said, identifies objectives that include improving airside and baggage systems, unlocking space for millions more passengers and delivering a “smoother, faster and more reliable journey from curb to gate,” including:

• Smarter airfield technology: New airfield lighting control and management system to enhance visibility and guidance designed to support an intelligent network that controls and responds to movement across the runways and taxiways. This “state of-the-art system is reflective of Toronto Pearson’s digital ambition and sets a foundation to enable future navigation and guidance systems that make smoother and more efficient aircraft movements on the ground.”
• Greener airport operations: Expanded electric vehicle charging, cleaner heating systems and energy network upgrades to support lower-emission operations as the airport grows.
• More reliable baggage: Investments across some 30 kilometres of baggage infrastructure including new baggage carousels in Terminal 1, as well as new cameras and sensors for early issue detection for better visibility and clearing jams to minimize down time.
• More space for growing operations: An expanded and renewed 2.2-million-square-metre airfield — equivalent to more than 1,000 NHL-size hockey rinks — including new aircraft stands and a high-speed taxiway to improve movement between gates and runways, supporting up to 28,000 additional passengers per day.

That work “lays the foundation for Toronto Pearson to be future-ready, resilient, digitally enabled and built to deliver exceptional passenger experiences,” airport brass said.

Toronto Pearson president and CEO Deborah Flint added Monday’s kickstart to the work “marks a pivotal moment, the culmination of three years of planning, analysis, competitive procurement and collaboration with industry partners and air carriers to deliver a state-of-the-art airfield that will make Toronto Pearson one of the most efficient and digitally-advanced airports in the industry.

“This is an investment that increases capacity for global trade with Canada,” she continued. “Passengers can be more confident in their journeys through North America’s second-most internationally connected airport.”

The massive expansion also means Pearson can grow to eventually serve 65 million passengers a year (an increase of nearly 20 million from current numbers), “creating 16,000 new jobs at the airport, supporting more than 160,000 jobs nationwide, contributing $30 billion to the economy and generating more than $10 billion annually in spending with Canadian suppliers,” airport officials noted, adding that moving forward in 2026, Pearson “will continue to unveil additional investments and details, including plans for revitalizing and expanding facilities to accommodate long-term demand.”

Early details of the Pearson LIFT plan were first announced in April 2024.

(Cover photo: Toronto Pearson Airport X)

Many officials were on hand for Monday’s official groundbreaking of work to improve Toronto Pearson Airport. (Photo: Toronto Pearson Airport)