Facts

Not My Airport:

“Save Your Airport,” the signs add. “Fight for Flight.” Pardon me. Save whose airport? “Your Airport,” the signs proclaim, meaning yours and mine. Sorry, but I fly in and out of Edmonton a dozen or more times each year. And I have not taken a flight from “the Muni” in 20 years. My airport is Edmonton International.

- Lorne Gunter in the Edmonton Journal, June 21, 2009

Fact: The vast majority of Edmontonians do not use and do not benefit from the City Centre Airport.

From the reports:

  • “The planning of ambulance services is dependent on many local factors such as availability of resources, both financial and personnel; regional density of populations; road condition and geographic variations; and so forth. Clinically, outcomes for trauma and medical patients are mainly impacted by the services available rather than by type of transport.”
  • “The City Centre Airport ranks with the Rossdale site and the provincial government precinct as among the three most significant historical locations in the City of Edmonton. As such everything possible should be done to acknowledge that fact through commemorative and interpretive initiatives.”
  • “Redevelopment of the ECCA, as defined in the Demonstration Plan, would result in the equivalent of a net tax saving to the City of Edmonton. The value of redeveloping the ECCA Lands is, in aggregate, a net benefit to the City of Edmonton’s financial position.”
  • “Based on the review completed, the redevelopment of the ECCA Lands into a new residential and employment based neighbourhood represents a significant opportunity for the City to achieve established long term visions regarding sustainable development and a more compact urban form. The redevelopment of the ECCA Lands could allow for the development of a new urban community with transit as its centrepiece.”

Facts from Edmonton Airports (source):

  • The University of Alberta hospital is the only hospital that ranks in the top 25 destinations, with just 0.5% of total movements.
  • Of the top 25 users of ECCA, 18 also commonly use EIA.
  • Medevac landings at ECCA for the 12 month period ending March 2009 account for just 4.9% of overall activity.
  • A total of $13.2 million in capital has been invested in ECCA by Edmonton Airports since 1996. A further $35 million will be required to be invested over the next 10 years.
  • ECCA generates operating income annually but not enough to completely fund its capital requirements.
  • As of December 31, 2008, ECCA owes EIA $5 million for money loaned since consolidation to pay for capital improvements.
  • Height restrictions have required that a number of developments and/or their construction be modified, and also that a number of proposed developments were rejected.

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