Flights from Niagara-on-the-Lake to cities like Ottawa or Chicago could one day take off under a newly approved $195-million, 20-year master plan to expand and modernize the Niagara District Airport.
Approved by the airport commission last month and released publicly Oct. 28, the 2025–2045 master plan outlines how the airport could expand in stages, with proposed upgrades to its terminal, runway, parking, and screening and customs facilities.
“At completion of the plan, the airport will be positioned to accommodate almost 600,000 passengers annually,” the commission said in a news release last week.
If funding and airline partnerships fall into place, the goal is to eventually ready the airport — jointly owned by the Town of NOTL, City of Niagara Falls and City of St. Catharines — for regular commercial flights, connecting Niagara to major Canadian and U.S. cities.
The plan states that by 2035, in a high-growth scenario, the airport could offer year-round service to two to three Canadian cities, two U.S hubs and at least two sun destinations.
Airport chief executive officer Dan Pilon said the plan offers a direction, not a promise.
“A plan is just that: it’s a vision,” he said. “We’ve set forward a vision and a realistic plan for trying to get to that.”
“There’s a lot of work that needs to continue to move forward,” he added.
The plan was developed by airport consulting firm Avia NG Inc. between summer 2024 and 2025, following months of data collection, infrastructure review and public consultation.
Following an enabling stage through 2028 focused on funding and airline partnerships, the airport expects to begin construction by 2029.
This will include building a larger terminal, adding parking, upgrading aprons, building a new service building, improving vehicular access, constructing new runway safety areas and preparing nearby land for future expansion.
The airport expects “transformational improvements ” to start in 2034 — widening and extending the main runway, adding a parallel taxiway, expanding the fuel farm and building a new passenger terminal with screening and customs facilities.
Beyond then, the plan calls for continued terminal and apron expansion, new commercial development on airport lands and preparation for electric and hybrid aircraft.
The plan said its timelines are estimates — implementation depends on factors such as progress, cost, possible future studies and operational need, rather than fixed deadlines.
“Much of it is dependent on when you’re able to identify the funding,” Pilon said. “If you don’t identify the funding, it quickly has a drastic implication on the timeline.”
The plan will follow a “phase trigger” approach, he said — each stage of expansion will only move forward once certain conditions, such as passenger demand or funding, are met.
The airport is well-positioned to broaden its role “with the right investments,” said the plan — it could attract scheduled Canadian and U.S. flights, serve as a reliever for Toronto Pearson Airport with lower costs, expand commercial development and become a hub for emerging aircraft technologies.
Residents and businesses can learn more about the plan, ask questions and share feedback at an upcoming public information session, taking place Nov. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the airport.
The full plan and its executive summary are available online at niagaradistrictairport.ca, under “2025–2045 Master Plan.”
paigeseburn@niagaranow.com
