Master Plan

Summary

2017-2037

GROWING
RESPONSIBLY
to support our region
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Introduction
Over the next three decades, Southern Ontario is set to
experience significant growth – its population will reach
15 million and its GDP will double, reaching $1.1 trillion.
This growth means that regional demand for air travel is
also on the rise. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority
(GTAA), operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport,
is currently working on updating its airport Master Plan,
outlining its short, medium, and long-term plans to support
regional and global demand for air travel.

The GTAA is required to update its Master Plan every 10 years, as outlined in its ground
lease with Transport Canada. However, ongoing annual planning and stakeholder
engagement is good practice as it helps to ensure the airport can respond to more
immediate factors that impact air travel and the efficient operation of the airport.

This is a planning document for one of Canada’s key economic engines. It is estimated
that 49,000 jobs are directly associated with operations at Toronto Pearson while
hundreds of thousands more jobs are created by the connectivity the airport provides.
It connects large and small Canadian companies and exports with markets abroad, serves
as a gateway for tourists, business travellers and students and connects residents with
friends and family abroad. The area around the airport has grown into Canada’s second
largest employment area.

As the airport’s operations keep pace with the needs of a growing and thriving region, the
GTAA has committed to growing the airport responsibly by: minimizing greenhouse
gas and other emissions; mitigating local impacts such as aircraft noise and vehicle
traffic; and sustaining open, collaborative and mutually rewarding relationships with its
diverse partners and stakeholders.

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Predictions for Toronto Pearson in 2037:
■■ 85 million passengers annually
■■ 632,000 total aircraft movements annually;
growing at a rate of about 1.4% on average per year
between 2017 and 2037, which mirrors the region’s
rate of population growth in the same timeframe
■■ +80% of the world’s economies available by daily,
direct flights
■■ 960,000 tonnes of cargo moving through the airport,
primarily in the belly of passenger aircraft
■■ 700,000 jobs (approximately) generated or facilitated
across Ontario
■■ Contribute 8.5% of Ontario’s GDP
■■ Five existing runways will continue to handle
projected demand
■■ Larger aircraft will move an average of 140 passengers
per flight, up from 108 passengers today
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What is a Master Plan?
This Master Plan provides an assessment of the demand the airport expects to face over the
next 20 years, and looks at airfield, passenger terminals, groundside access, cargo, business
aviation, support and ancillary facilities, and the facility improvements that are needed
to ensure the airport can meet demand and operate efficiently while working with local
stakeholders to ensure we are addressing impacts. The document culminates in a detailed
Land Use Plan, which is reviewed and approved by the federal Minister of Transport.
Demand for air service to 2037
Airports play an essential role in the global market place by increasing connectivity and
opportunities. The world and its economies are more connected than ever, and forecasts
show that global aviation demand is expected to double in the next 15 years. On a local
level, Ontario’s economy has also evolved from goods to services focused industries.
This means that demand for air travel is also forecast to increase, with the region of
Southern Ontario expected to see 93 million passengers annually in the next twenty years.
By 2037, the most likely total number of passengers wanting to fly to, from and through
Toronto Pearson each year will be around 85 million, up from 47 million expected by the
end of 2017. As aviation technology continues to progress, larger and quieter aircraft will
be able to transport an increasing number of passengers and cargo on each flight.
How many people will be flying to, from and through
Toronto Pearson in 2037?
■■ Toronto Pearson will be the starting point or end point for approximately
53 million passengers travelling by air.
■■ Approximately 32 million passengers, or 38 per cent of our passengers,
will use the airport to catch a connecting flight to another destination. In
2016, 31 per cent of Toronto Pearson’s passengers used the airport as a
connection point.
The GTAA estimates that by 2037, Toronto Pearson will provide daily, direct connections
to more than 80 per cent of the global economy, supporting up to 700,000 jobs across
the province, up from 332,000 jobs today. This would represent about 8.5 per cent of
Ontario’s GDP.
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What will Toronto Pearson need in 2037

to accommodate demand?
To accommodate the forecasted demand, the Master Plan details many technical
considerations to accommodate air service demand, including airside and passenger
systems, cargo, aviation fuel, and utilities. While some aspects, such as airside and
passenger systems, may change in layout, we do not predict a need for additional
capacity from a sixth runway.

Airside
The Master Plan explains how aircraft movements, or planes taking off and landing, at Toronto
Pearson will grow at a slower rate than passenger growth over the next twenty years, as air
carriers deploy larger aircraft and fill more seats on them - a trend known as ‘upgauging.’
As in our previous Master Plan, a sixth east-west runway is protected for, however, based
on our projections for upgauging aircraft at Toronto Pearson, the sixth runway would not
be needed for capacity reasons to meet the demand we project in 2037.
Terminals
The general footprint of the passenger terminal needed to serve 85 million passengers
can be accommodated with the GTAA’s property holdings. However, there are a number
of options for how the passenger terminals could be configured and expanded, which
requires further study and consultation with business partners, government agencies and
passengers themselves.
The Master Plan explores multiple options to expand passenger terminal capacity in the
medium- to long-term, including a potential Terminal 3 east expansion and Terminal 1
west expansion that could link the two terminals. In addition, the plan calls for the initial
development of terminal processing capacity associated with the Regional Transit Centre
in the area north of the existing terminals.
In the short- and medium-term, Toronto Pearson’s capacity can be increased by
physically expanding our terminals and making technological and process changes to
improve throughput of passengers and baggage.
Regional Transit Centre
The Master Plan outlines plans for a new Regional Transit Centre on airport property,
which is key to increasing the share of passenger and employee trips to the airport by
transit. The Regional Transit Centre would be strategically located to connect a number
of existing and planned transit services and connect key job and residential areas across
the region.
A Regional Transit Centre at Toronto Pearson will provide the region with increased
connectivity across the GTA. It will help provide better access to the Airport Employment
Zone, the second largest employment area in the country, and offer a faster, more
sustainable option for ground travel. It will also provide relief for some of the busiest
highways in the country, making it easier for goods to move freely across the region
without delay.
As an active member of the growing region, Toronto Pearson’s vision for a Regional
Transit Centre provides the means to connect the Greater Toronto Area and Greater
Golden Horseshoe. This Master Plan reflects a continuation of planning for and building
of a Regional Transit Centre at Toronto Pearson.
Cargo operations
As we move towards 2037, cargo volumes will continue to grow, much of which are job-creating
exports from Ontario companies. As is the case today, cargo will be carried mainly in the bellies
of passenger aircraft as opposed to freighters. Toronto Pearson is a key link in the supply-chain
for many businesses, and given the growth projected and a finite supply of land, we will be
working with our business partners to increase the productivity of our cargo facilities.

Preliminary Design Concept: Toronto Pearson’s Regional Transit Centre

Toronto Pearson’s planned Regional Transit Centre is situated to connect a
number of transit lines in the airport area that have been proposed or are
already in development.
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Growing responsibly
The increasing demand for air travel presents benefits and challenges for communities
surrounding Toronto Pearson. The Master Plan explains how being a good neighbour
is central to Toronto Pearson’s mandate, which includes: contributing to meaningful
community programs, consulting on and implementing new noise management
initiatives, and strengthening its environmental sustainability practices.

It explains how the GTAA is working to maximize Toronto Pearson’s important economic
outputs while minimizing emissions and mitigating impacts on surrounding communities:

Economic Growth – Toronto Pearson plays an important role in

the local and national economy. It is working to grow employment
opportunities in tandem with the growth of the airport and develop new
ways to increase connectivity to the world’s economies.

Environmental Sustainability – Intensifying efforts at Toronto

Pearson to mitigate the environmental impacts of airport operations,
ensuring environmental compliance and being a good neighbour to
surrounding communities.

Social Impact – Toronto Person’s community investment program, the

Propeller Project, will continue to invest in community initiatives and
activities that have an impact for our neighbouring communities.

Noise Management – Toronto Pearson’s Noise Management Program

Working with regional airports is evolving to incorporate operational changes and practices that will
help address the issue of aircraft noise and will continue to include public
Over the next three decades, demand for air travel in Southern Ontario is projected
consultation opportunities on noise related impacts with the communities
to reach 110 million passengers. This forecasted growth is an amazing opportunity for
that surround the airport. The Master Plan reflects feedback collected
Southern Ontario and its communities but we, as a region, must be ready for it.
from the Residents’ Reference Panel, Survey on Noise Fairness and Airport
Growth, public workshops and community events. This feedback, along
Toronto Pearson is proud to be a founding member of the Southern Ontario Airport
with findings from the Noise Management Program Benchmarking and
Network which brings together 11 of the region’s most commercially significant airports.
Best Practices Study, is being used to update our rolling five-year Noise
Southern Ontario is fortunate to have many air transportation assets and by better using
Management Action Plan; a document that ensures that we grow and adapt
the regions assets, the region will be well placed to reap the benefits of demand.
our Noise Management Program as the airport evolves.
Over time, it is anticipated that there will be an evolution and specialization of airport
roles consistent with how other multi-airport regions around the world have developed, By 2020, we are targeting a 20%
for example, in Los Angeles, New York and London, England.
reduction of our 2006 emissions.

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Land Use Plan

This Land Use Plan is not significantly different from the previous version published in
2008. It protects for terminal expansion options and for the Regional Transit Centre.
Lands zoned for ‘Other Airport Development’ (yellow) will be allocated according to
operational need and broader economic benefit to the region.

Airport Land Use Plan

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Highlights from the updated Land Use Plan:

1. Regional Transit Centre and passenger processor site
2. Addition of ~30 ha of Boeing Lands at Derry and Airport Roads
3. North and midfield terminal expansion options protected
4. Phased terminal expansion including additional gates, more baggage capacity,
with potential eventual single contiguous terminal

5. Protection for sixth runway, which is not anticipated to be needed to

accommodate capacity within this Master Plan’s planning horizon

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