Brought in as temporary in 1993, the Vancouver Airport Improvement Fee is once again being increased, this time to pay for a $1.8-billion airport upgrade.
Vancouver Airport Authority president Larry Berg defended the ongoing fee - to be increased to $20 from $15 this May - as a byproduct of unforeseen expansion in the airline industry.
"We went from six U.S. cities to 22," Berg told the media on Wednesday.
"China wasn't even a big player in the aviation industry then - we've gone from 15 flights a week to Hong Kong to 55 flights a week."
The two-tiered fee will continue: Passengers travelling in B.C. will pay $5 (as before) while those travelling outside B.C. will pay $20.
The money will be spent, in part, to lessen connection times at Canada's second-busiest airport, which now has an annual capacity of 23 million passengers.
High-speed baggage systems and 700 metres of secure corridors and moving walkways will help increase capacity, with Berg expecting two-to four-per cent passenger-number increases each year of the 10-year upgrade.
"In 2013, we expect to be required to lengthen our three runways by either 300 metres - the Canadian standard - or 600 m - the international standard," said Berg, explaining in part the $1.8-billion price tag, which will also include upgrades to the domestic terminal, which dates from 1968.
When asked what it would mean to Richmondites, Berg said, "This is good news for British Columbia and Richmond because we will attract more international flights and passengers to the province. When we begin construction, we will create 1,600 construction jobs. By 2015 we expect to create another 2,000 more jobs at the airport."
Considering many YVR employees live in Richmond, Berg said, the improvements will mean a huge economic boost to the city. Right now, YVR employs 23,600 people and is home to 400 businesses.
"Even at $20, our fee is one of the lowest in the country, most airports in the larger cities such as Montreal and Toronto charge $25," Berg added.
