Fall 1998

Congratulations BCAC... Happy diamond anniversary to the British Columbia Aviation Council (BCAC). Sixty years ago, Transport Minister C.D. Howe asked his Director of Civil Aviation to attend the B.C. Aviation Council's inaugural meeting, in Nelson, on September 16, 1938 - it took the Director five days to get to the meeting - he took the train... To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the British Columbia Aviation Council October 11 to 17 has been proclaimed Aviation Week in British Columbia.

What Goes Around Comes Around... The B.C. Aviation Council was founded in 1938 by a handful of municipal leaders seeking airports for their communities. Interestingly, since 1995, Transport Canada has transferred 20 B.C. airports back to local communities, through the National Airports Policy.

YVR's Busiest Day Yet... August 29th was the busiest day ever for Vancouver International Airport (YVR), as over 68,000 passengers flew in and out of the airport.

What About the Asian Flu? In June, Vancouver International Airport's traffic to Asia declined by 0.6 per cent compared to June 1997, but then in July it bounced back increasing by 3.3 per cent. Overall, passenger traffic was up 3.6 per cent in the first seven months of 1998 and the annual passenger figure is projected to hit 15.2 million compared to 14.8 million last year. The cargo picture isn't quite as rosy with a three per cent decline in the number of metric tonnes of cargo YVR handled in the first seven months of 1998 compared with 1997.

Victoria International Airport Contributes...A recent economic impact study of Victoria International Airport (VIA) reports the airport contributed $134 million to the Capital Regional District's economy in 1997 and generated 1,699 person-years of employment.

Langley Airport's First Passenger Service Takes Off... After starting Langley's first ever regular passenger service at the beginning of the summer, Island Valley Air is now expanding their service. Beginning in October the airline will offer flights from Langley to Comox, as well as to Victoria and Nanaimo. Airport Manager George Miller said the airline is enjoying a steady increase in passengers and are also looking at flying out of Pitt Meadows airport. "Thanks to Island Valley Air there are a lot more people around the airport," said Miller, "and that means more people are eating in the restaurant and visiting the museum - Island Valley Air is good for business at Langley airport."

Airports Transferring... In September, an agreement was signed to transfer Penticton Airport to the City of Penticton. The hand-over date for the airport is December 1, 1998. Transport Canada is providing a financial contribution of $1.5 million for apron, taxiway, water and sewer improvement projects and $500,000 for the operation of the airport. For more information contact: Mike Langan, Regional Director Programs, (604) 666-2387.

Northwest Corridor Development Corporation (NWCDC) Sets Priorities... Raising the corridor's profile and assisting in enhancing rail tourism in 1998 are two of the goals the NWCDC Board of Directors set at their second board meeting this summer. To get a copy of Corridor Report, the NWCDC's newsletter, call Becky Stevenson, Prince Rupert Port Corporation, (250) 627-7545.

Port of Vancouver Cautiously Optimistic about 1998... Container traffic was up four per cent to 365,247 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) at the Port of Vancouver during the first six months of 1998. Thanks to consumer demand for relatively inexpensive Asian goods, full inbound containers were up 30%. Forest products, suffering from the Asian flu, dropped 24 percent to three million tonnes during the first six months... The Port of Vancouver's cruise ship industry registered its 16th consecutive year of growth in 1998. Cruise ships carried 873,102 revenue passengers on the Vancouver-Alaska trip in 1998, a seven percent increase over 1997.

Approving the Fast Cats... Transport Canada surveyors were aboard the Pacificat fast ferry in late September when it topped 40 knots during speed trials in Georgia Strait. Over the next couple of months, TC surveyors will be on hand to certify the vessel, and the crew, as the ship goes through a battery of tests before entering into service. The fast ferry features leading edge safety equipment and TC has approved an emergency evacuation system that will evacuate passengers in under 18 minutes from the Pacificat.

Port State Control Ship Inspection Program Detains for Safety... In the first six months of 1998, 510 foreign vessels were inspected by Transport Canada surveyors at Canadian ports and 62 of those ships were detained because they were in poor condition. Inspectors in Vancouver detained 68 per cent or 42 of those substandard ships. That's an increase of eight per cent over the first six months of 1997. Before being allowed to leave port, the vessels must rectify their deficiencies.

TC Best Sellers... The second edition of Transportation in Canada is now available. It provides an informational snapshot of Canadian transportation in 1997. Another addition to Transport Canada's bookshelves is the British Columbia Intermodal Passenger Study. It focuses on the issues and trends affecting B.C.'s passenger transportation system. Number three on the TC best seller list is the Pacific Region 1997/98 Annual Review. For a copy of these reports contact Rod Nelson, TC Communications, at (604) 666-1675.

Transport Trends is published by Transport Canada's Pacific Region to keep our clients and stakeholders up-to-date on transportation activities and trends in B.C. Questions or suggestions please phone (604) 666-1675, fax (604) 666-7255, e-mail nelsoro@tc.gc.ca.

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