Plans to expand the Region of Waterloo International Airport will be held off as the master plan committee in charge of deciding the airport's future says it will focus on improving its current business instead.
The region says the loss of one of the airport’s airlines a few months ago, as well as an overwhelming amount of noise complaints from people who live nearby made them realize a costly expansion simply won't fly.
The committee tasked with making recommendations for the airport's future says what's in place now should be fully used first.
“Right now we're not running at capacity. We have capacity for 100,000 passengers and we're roughly 50 percent of that, so I've been of the mind and many on council are, that we're not going to expand the airport until we are at current capacity,” says regional councillor Sean Strickland.
In March, Bearskin airlines cancelled flights to Ottawa. Their departure leaves only three daily passenger flights out of the region to Calgary and Chicago, and one winter charter flight to Cancun.
“It's pretty hard to look at expanding the airport when you lose one of your main carriers,” says Strickland.
The region currently pays $6.3 million dollars to keep the airport running, and was hoping expanding would increase the airports profits to a point where it no longer needed any funding.
The committee looked at a range of options, including a $100 million expansion that would add a new terminal and runway.
Krysta Garton lives a few blocks from the airport with her husband Tyler and six-month-old baby. She's happy to hear a major addition won't be happening soon.
“I’m just afraid that the noise could get louder. It’s not too bothersome right now, but if bigger planes come more often then it might be louder,” she says.
The committee will be making its no growth recommendation to Regional Council in mid-June. Councillor Sean Strickland says the focus right now should be on attracting new business to the airport and that could eventually open the doors to more growth.
