Toronto’s Pearson airport launches new infrastructure program  

Toronto Pearson International Airport announced the launch of Pearson LIFT (Long–term Investment in Facilities and Terminals) infrastructure program.

Pearson LIFT is a phased, multi-billion-dollar program to modernize and expand the airport, renewing infrastructure, advancing technology–driven operations, revitalizing and expanding facilities to support Toronto Pearson’s growth for the next decade and beyond.

“Today 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,” said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson.

The initial phase of the first major program of Pearson LIFT includes a $3-billion investment in 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 approximately 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.

Enabled by Pearson LIFT, Toronto Pearson can grow to serve 65 million passengers a year, 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, based on independent analysis.

Featured image: Deborah Flint, President and CEO, Toronto Pearson, Minister Ali, Minister Sarkaria and Mayor Brown are joined by board members, municipal leaders and construction partners for the groundbreaking of Pearson LIFT. (CNW Group/Toronto Pearson)