Travellers, residents will feel impact as Mississauga’s Pearson Airport shuts down busy runway for repairs
Published March 31, 2022 at 10:57 am
Travellers will experience some delays and nearby residents can expect more aircraft noise as Pearson Airport in Mississauga is shutting down its second-busiest runway for the next seven months in order to complete major repairs.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), which runs Pearson, describes the undertaking as one of the largest runway rehabilitation projects in the history of Canada’s largest airport.
As a result, those who use the airport and residents in surrounding communities can expect some “significant” and “disruptive impacts” starting in early April and lasting until mid-November, when the work will take place.
Nearby residents may experience an increase in aircraft noise at times, airport officials note. And while scheduled flights will not be impacted by the runway closure, passengers may notice an increase in runway taxi times or longer waits at their gates.
Runway 06L/24R, an east-west landing strip, was built in the 1960s and is in desperate need of upgrades to ensure aircraft and passenger safety, the GTAA says.
The airport adds that the extensive work to be completed will “ensure the continued safe operation of the airport, and consequently the safety of passengers, employees and the communities we serve.”
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Diagram shows Runway 06L/24R and where it’s located relative to the other landing strips at Pearson Airport. (Image: Greater Toronto Airports Authority)
The work begins as travel activity has rebounded at Pearson after two years of dramatically reduced travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport has been especially busy in recent weeks due to the March Break season.
“We recognize that work such as this may have some temporary disruptive impacts on travellers and certain communities near the airport,” Pearson officials said in a release. “Rest assured, we are working in close partnership with our industry and construction partners to deliver a project that is safe and minimizes impacts—both community and operational—as much as possible, though significant community impacts are expected.”
Airport officials say they’ll keep residents and travellers updated as regularly as they can on the work being carried out and associated impacts.
Officials add that the public can keep up with the work being completed and other ongoing maintenance by visiting the Noise Advisory Page and/or using the interactive online tool InsightFull.
Residents and others can also register any noise complaints with airport officials.
The runway, which is three kilometres long, needs to be fully rehabilitated due to the wearing down of its concrete sub-structure as a result of weather conditions, use and time.
“We have reduced airline slots and adjusted schedules for the duration of the project to mitigate operational and community impacts,” Pearson officials say. “We will continually reassess our approach for the duration of the rehabilitation to minimize impacts to communities surrounding the airport.”
The airport is hosting a virtual public meeting on April 7 where residents can learn more about the project and have concerns addressed.
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