Victoria International Airport:
Growing community, infrastructure and business By Cindy Chan
V
ictoria International Airport is more than a hub for travellers, visitors and businesses. It does more than welcoming people into the city and sending individuals off to faraway lands. The Victoria International Airport is also a place that fosters community through tourism and construction. How so? Construction builds the infrastructure that supports tourism, and Victoria International Airport has seen plenty of renovations and upgrades over the years.
According to Scott Cunningham, director of facilities at the Victoria Airport Authority, Victoria International Airport has a rich history and background. The building was constructed in an effort to prepare for the Second World War, and it was operating as a military base for a long period of time. It formally became an airport in the 1960s. Transport Canada owned and operated the airport until 1997 when the Victoria Airport Authority took over the day-to-day operations. “We have a long-term, 80-year lease with
Transport Canada that started in 1997,” Cunningham explains. “The airport is still owned by Transport Canada, but the Airport Authority operates the airport on behalf of Transport Canada and the travelling public.” Currently, the airport is undergoing a number of renovations, including expanding the lower hold room, according to Cunningham. There are two ways of getting onto aircrafts: walking over ground and using the passenger boarding bridge. The $19.4-million expansion consists of VICA 79
