Canadians need to be connected. While high-speed internet is a priority for rural Canada, it's only part of the solution. Canadians in remote or rural communities must also be able to connect in the real world – and that means reliable and proximate air service.And that requires well-funded, safe and accessible regional airports.When the National Airports Policy was introduced in the mid-1990s, a founding principle was that most of Canada's major airports should be financially self-sustaining, which they have been. But, the policy also acknowledged that some airports with low traffic volumes would need federal help.The enactment of the National Airports Policy (NAP) resulted in the transfer of financial responsibility for airports from the Government of Canada to local authorities. This financial model was a boon for taxpayers, resulting in a net transfer of funds from airports to the federal government of $396 million in rent in 2018 alone. In fact, airports have paid more than $6 billion in rent to the federal government since it transferred management of Canada's airports to non-share capital airport authorities in 1992.Canadian airport revenue comes from three sources:
- Aeronautical Revenue: Landing and terminal fees charged to air carriers and other airport users.
- Non-Aeronautical Revenue: Generated by businesses deployed and developed on airport land (hotels, shops, restaurants, parking, etc.).
- Airport Improvement Fees on airline tickets: Used exclusively on capital infrastructure programs that benefit travellers and other airport users.
- The cost of operating and maintenance equipment;
- The cost of restoration projects to maintain buildings and airside surfaces;
- The cost of large capital expansion projects to meet growing demand; and;
- The cost of large capital expansion projects to facilitate growth in air services.