The growth of Toronto International Pearson should be supported by both dynamic open skies strategy and by a policy of welcoming foreigners to the Canada. The country's leading hub, with 44.3 million passengers yearly, Toronto International Pearson is now imagining itself as a "mega hubthe equivalent of a Dubai for this part of the world. The aim is to welcome a total of 80 million passengersthe equivalent of Chicago O'Hare airport today. A recent report by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority estimates that the hub is best placed to capitalise on the opening of the skies between Canada and the United States, but also with Europe and a large part of Asia. Toronto is already the biggest international airport in North America, behind New York JFK, with 60% of passengers travelling on intercontinental routes.
This would make Toronto THE gateway to North America.
However, the report notes numerous obstacles The authorities are working on this by improving public transport and the often saturated motorways linking the hub to the whole region. A multi-modal hub project is also being studied. Another urgent priority is to improve the flow of passengers through the terminals. At present, half of all passengers must expect to pass through security checkpoints in more than 20 minutes while 95 % of passengers from Hong Kong or London Heathrow carry out these formalities in just five minutes.
The project is all the more interesting in that Toronto could indirectly benefit from the policy of its American neighbour, tempted by the protectionism and locking down its borders. Toronto would then appear as THE gateway to North America.
