The Niagara District Airport is looking to reach new heights and become a regional gateway for commercial air travel as part of a new 20-year master plan released this week.
The 2025–2045 plan, published on Tuesday, lays out a roadmap to transform the airport from a general aviation facility into a modern regional hub capable of handling scheduled passenger service.
It projects the redevelopment could generate more than $1 billion in economic output and attract over seven million passengers through the region over the next two decades.
To achieve that growth, the airport would need a series of infrastructure upgrades, including extending the main runway, expanding the terminal building and parking areas, and adding facilities for both the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and the Canada Border Services Agency.
If all phases of the plan are completed, the airport says it would be capable of accommodating about 600,000 passengers each year. The redevelopment is also expected to support local employment and increase spending at nearby businesses.
Greg Wight, chair of the Niagara District Airport Commission, said the plan’s vision reflects Niagara’s place as one of the country’s top tourist destinations.
“As one of Canada’s top tourism regions, Niagara deserves an airport that makes it convenient for national and international visitors to enjoy our region’s wineries, restaurants and attractions,” Wight said in a media release.
“The vision outlined in our master plan demonstrates how strategic, sustainable investments in air access to Niagara will boost tourism, strengthen our regional economy and position the airport as an indispensable gateway to our region and beyond.”
Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa called the master plan an important step for shaping the airport’s future and called it a regional asset.
“The Niagara District Airport continues to play a key role in fostering local connectivity and economic growth, and the town is committed to continued collaboration with our municipal partners to review the plan and
identify opportunities that best serve our residents, businesses, and the broader community,” he said in the media release.
The airport, located between Niagara-on-the-Lake, St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, is within a 12-minute drive of all three destinations. That central location, combined with Niagara’s population of about half a million residents and its 12 million annual visitors, positions the airport as a potential hub for regional air travel, according to the plan.
Tourism in Niagara has seen little growth since 2013, outside of pandemic-related declines, the airport states. The master plan identifies improved air access — including direct commercial service — as a key opportunity to attract more overnight visitors and expand the region’s tourism economy.
The master plan was developed with input from residents, local businesses, tourism and industry representatives, municipal officials, airport staff, user groups and government agencies. Feedback was gathered through interviews, public information sessions and an online engagement portal.
With approval from the airport commission, officials are now preparing to begin the next steps, which include developing funding strategies, engaging with potential airline partners and launching further public engagement initiatives to keep residents informed as the project progresses.
People are invited to attend the public information session for the master plan on Thursday, Nov. 13 from 3 to 5 p.m., to learn more about the plan, ask questions and provide feedback.
A copy of the full master plan is available on the airport’s website, niagaradistrictairport.com.
