Halifax International Airport Authority PREPARES FOR MULTI-YEAR RECOVERY
by Tiffany Chase
ing tourism, trade, investment, and immigration throughout the region. “HIAA has worked incredibly hard over the past two decades, with its partners, stakehold- ers, community members, and government, to put Halifax Stanfield on the map,” said Carter. “COVID-19 has certainly stalled the progress we’ve made, but we’re confident we will be ready to contribute to the success and recovery of our region, once the pandemic subsides.” As a locally controlled, not-for-profit organi - zation, HIAA exists to serve its communities and ensure they have the air service links nec- essary to grow and thrive. HIAA leases the airport property from the federal government and pays rent for the right to manage, operate, and develop the airport in a way that supports economic development for our region. “Our organization is intended to be self-sus- taining from a financial perspective,” said Paul Brigley, Vice President, Finance and Chief Finan- cial Officer. “Our fees are set to cover our costs, and any surplus we generate in a normal year
T he COVID-19 pandemic abruptly stalled air travel activity beginning in March 2020, resulting in the largest financial loss ever recorded by Halifax International Airport Author- ity (HIAA). This, and other details about how the pandemic affected HIAA and its plans for recovery, were presented today at its Annual Public Meeting, held virtually to comply with COVID-19 provincial public health protocols. “In the 21-years HIAA has managed Halifax Stan- field, 2020 can easily be described as the most challenging year the airport has ever faced,” said
decline in activity, however, has eliminated most of our revenue streams and due to the lack of meaningful government support, we have been required to take on more debt to ensure this critical piece of transportation infrastructure remains open for our industry partners and com- munity members.” Pre-pandemic, Halifax Stanfield was home to 120 organizations supporting 5,600 jobs on-site, such as ground handlers, firefighters, accoun - tants, hotel employees, aircrew, and more. A significant economic driver, contributing over $3.8 billion annually to the Nova Scotia economy, the airport plays an important role in support-
Joyce Carter, President and CEO, HIAA. “We quickly responded to the pandemic by support- ing public health measures and travel restrictions, we implemented enhanced health and safety protocols, and we continued to, as always, put all our focus on safe airport operations. The drastic
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JUNE 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2021
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