⚠️ Would You Let Private Companies Run Canada’s Biggest Airports? ⚠️

Folks,

This is a big deal. Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to bring private investors into the operation of four of Canada’s biggest airports: Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.

Currently, Canada’s major airports operate under a not-for-profit model. The airport authorities lease the land from the federal government and reinvest their surpluses back into airport operations and infrastructure.

The Prime Minister has been banging the drum about “Building Canada Strong.” Carney recently brought together more than 100 major investors and business leaders at the Canada Investment Summit. On the surface, attracting investment into Canada sounds like a good idea. We need investment to develop critical minerals, unlock Ontario’s Ring of Fire and get other major projects moving that actually expand Canada’s economy. Heck, former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper even showed up and delivered a non-partisan speech.

It was at this summit that Carney announced plans to seek private investment to run Canada’s four major airports. The federal government would retain ownership of the underlying airport land and assets, while private investors could receive long-term concessions to operate them.

But is this really “Building Canada Strong”? The airports are already built.

If you’ve read any of my posts, you know I’m a conservative. I’m not opposed to privatization when it makes sense. Phone companies, liquor stores and other businesses are often more efficient and provide better service when run by the private sector. But airports are different, and let me explain why I have serious concerns.

💰 First, the cost. Airports are enormously expensive to operate. Massive terminals and runways have to be maintained. There’s snow removal, security, repairs, expansion and billions of dollars in long-term infrastructure requirements. Right now, there are no shareholders demanding a return on their investment. Move to a for-profit model, and investors will understandably expect to make money.

So where does that return come from? Higher airport fees? Higher charges to airlines? Reduced services? Ultimately, I think Canadian travellers and businesses could end up paying the price.

🛡️Second, national defence and security. There’s a reason most major commercial airports in the United States remain in public hands. These airports aren’t food courts with runways attached. They are strategic assets for Canada’s national defence.

Third, Canadian sovereignty. Carney pitched this idea while courting major investors from around the world. That matters. This wasn’t a Canada Pension Plan board meeting. So what happens if an American company wants to operate one of our major airports? What about a Chinese company or a corporation with links to a foreign government? We’re talking about a key cog in Canada’s economic engine.

What restrictions would be placed on foreign control? How would sensitive passenger information be protected? What guarantees would Canadians have that strategically important infrastructure remains firmly under Canadian control? Those questions need answers.

And here’s another part of this story that shouldn’t be forgotten: we’ve been down this road before. Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government explored airport privatization nearly a decade ago. The idea generated significant opposition, and the Trudeau government ultimately shelved it.

So why is Mark Carney bringing it back now?

The Liberals have been blowing money like a drunken executive at a Vegas poker table. Now they’re stumbling down the north end of the Strip toward the pawn shop, Rolex in hand, looking for a quick payday.

Selling decades-long operating concessions on some of Canada’s most valuable infrastructure could bring Ottawa tens of billions of dollars upfront. That huge one-time cheque can also make the Liberals’ massive deficits look a lot better today. That’s why Canadians should be asking whether this is really about “Building Canada Strong.”

Once you sign a decades-long deal, getting out of it isn’t as simple as asking Chumlee for the Rolex back.