The January/February edition of AIRPORT BUSINESS featured Vancouver International Airport (YVR), an airport that was in the midst of a transformation following the transfer of oversight from the federal government to a local not-for-profit in 1992, under a long-term lease. In effect, Vancouver had reconfigured its airport to become the nation’s Pacific Gateway; under Ottawa’s oversight, the airport was seen as the Far West destination airport for Canada.
When the article was published, Vancouver International was touted as a leading edge airport in a number of areas, notably common use systems and a total rethinking of the integration of information technology — one of the first in North America to do so. YVR continues to be a leader in I.T. solutions. The airport has also been recognized by ACI-NA for its retail and concessions programs. Today, passenger counts continue to set new highs, with 2005 recording a record level of 16.4 million, an increase of 4.4 percent over 2004. In addition, a new study indicates that the economic impact of YVR translates into some 26,700 direct jobs and $6.8 billion (Can) in “economic input.”
The YVR authority recently established YVR Project Management, a wholly owned subsidiary, to oversee major expansion projects at the airport.
