Canadian airport infrastructure: part two – time to look again at privatisation?

The failure of the Canadian authorities to ensure adequate air travel movement during the summer was well documented. Delays and queues ranked among the worst in the world.

Now a major Canadian newspaper has lambasted the Ottawa government for its failure to ensure investment in airports, blaming the 'not for profit' ownership culture which denies access to share capital in favour of debt financing.

It also blames the extravagant 'Crown Rents' that the major airports are charged, and insists they should be reinvested in the airports.

Strangely, one option, which was examined and discussed in detail five years ago and then shelved, is privatisation. In its many forms now, including public-private partnerships, it merits reconsideration.

This part two of a two-part report.