Canada’s airports challenged to adapt to a quickly changing world
TOP: Normand Boivin, Head of Aviation at WSP in Canada, leading airport infrastructure projects across Canada. BOTTOM: WSP has a long history with Canadian and international airport projects. Caroline Bergeron
Canada’s airports are challenged to adapt to a quickly changing world. They need to upgrade aging infrastructure, invest in innovative technology and apply new solutions to serve the growing population of air travellers – all while minimizing environmental impact.
Leading engineering and professional services firm WSP defines the core task as the creation of “future-ready” airports and airport communities equipped to succeed in the midst of transformations already underway and on the horizon.
“Being future-proof requires a team with agility and the expertise to plan and build something that can be modified as the needs and expectations of customers and communities evolve,” says Normand Boivin, head of aviation for WSP in Canada.
Many of Canada’s airports have fallen behind in maintenance and improvements, he explains. “After the disruptions of the pandemic, air traffic is back on track and growing quite quickly, and many airports are nearing their limits, requiring more space and facilities to serve the increasing numbers of travellers.”
Airports seeking infrastructure upgrades are looking for projects that can be delivered at a reasonable cost and at a fast pace. WSP has the expertise, experience and methodologies to meet these requirements, says Mr. Boivin.
“It’s important for the aviation team to build in flexibility and adaptability, as airport infrastructure requires high-cost investments, and the last thing airports want to do is to have to start over when needs change,” Mr. Boivin says. “We need to manage the unknown in the development and be ready for whatever is going to come.”
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We are an airport solutions provider. That means we recognize that each airport project is unique and extremely complex, and requires a customized solution. Our strength with respect to a project as complicated as an airport is the wealth of expertise that we offer.
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Mr. Boivin joined WSP in the fall of 2023, and he came out of retirement to do so – excited about the challenge of further strengthening WSP’s aviation division. He brought almost four decades of aviation and airports experience to the position, along with his long-held passion for the sector.
Beginning as an air traffic controller for Transport Canada in 1982, he went on to occupy senior positions that included Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Montreal-Trudeau and Mirabel international airports, and then as COO for London’s Heathrow Airport. There, Mr. Boivin oversaw operations for the 2012 Olympics as well as construction of the new Terminal 2, the “Queen’s terminal.” By the time he left in 2017, he had overseen transformations that earned the airport numerous awards, including being named as “Best Airport in Europe, 40 million passengers,” by Airports Council International (ACI).
Strong and diverse expertise for complex aviation projects
WSP has a long history with Canadian and international airport projects, providing aviation advisory services; site assessment; airport master planning; airport carbon accreditation; digital, terminal and facilities planning; landside and terminal access design; environmental studies and more.
Among its advantages, WSP is uniquely positioned to support airports seeking to improve their sustainability and implement net-zero practices – an imperative driven by accelerating climate change.
One of WSP’s strengths: it worked as a lead designer to support ACI in the development of the Airport Carbon Accreditation program, a framework to help airports around the world manage and reduce their carbon emissions. As more airports work towards accreditation, the company’s perspective adds value to aviation customers, says Mr. Boivin.
“WSP has on-the-ground knowledge about what a complex undertaking it is for airports to develop infrastructure that supports surging travel demand while also reducing their carbon footprint.”
“There’s no growth in the local economy without a successful airport, but there is no successful airport without incorporating the priorities of the community.”
Complex solutions for airports and their communities
“We are an airport solutions provider,” says Mr. Boivin. “That means we recognize that each airport project is unique and extremely complex, and requires a customized solution. Our strength with respect to a project as complicated as an airport is the wealth of expertise that we offer.
“We are a one-stop shop for airports. When we have any kind of engineering, technological or environment challenge, we have the resources to tackle it – with 13,000 multidisciplinary professionals in Canada and more than 70,000 around the world.”
WSP has a strong track record in terms of delivering results, what Mr. Boivin calls “constructability.”
“It’s one thing to have a big plan; it’s something else to deliver on the plan. This is the strength that we have, the constructability, expertise and knowledge to deliver efficiently on big projects.”
WSP’s key role in the development of infrastructure megaprojects across Canada was affirmed in a report this year from ReNew Canada on the country’s Top 100 projects. The report showed that WSP is involved in 74 of those large projects.
“We’re very much present in the top engineering and construction projects across the country, providing Canadian solutions to an array of Canadian industries and businesses,” says Mr. Boivin.
Airport projects are also complex because community needs must also be met, and that requires consultations with scores of different stakeholders. Airport construction often involves consideration of noise-abatement procedures, and wildlife and other environmental resource protection through collaboration with the broader community.
Stakeholder consultations were at the heart of the award-winning project WSP delivered for the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport on the Toronto Islands. After completion of the project, ACI named it the best in North America in 2016 for the 2–5 million passenger category.
“The cohabitation aspect for Billy Bishop was handled by a purposeful collaboration between the airport and local authorities, with consideration of impacts on residential development, community facilities and economic impact,” says Mr. Boivin. Due to its island location, it was also important to build in protections for marine wildlife in the surrounding waters. “A community-wide solution was achieved,” he adds.
“The goal is to improve the co-habitation between the airport and its local communities,” he says. “An airport is a very lively business centred in the community. It depends on and contributes to the social and economic attributes of the community.
“There’s no growth in the local economy without a successful airport, but there is no successful airport without incorporating the priorities of the community.”
Stakeholder consultations were at the heart of the award-winning project WSP delivered for the Bily Bishop Toronto City Airport on the Toronto Islands. © 2011 Greg Ballentine - All Rights Reserved
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