Airport privatization will cost Canadians, warns CLC

Statement from Lily Chang, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress:

“Private investors don’t put billions into airports unless they expect to make billions back. The government is pointing to Australia as its model, and we’ve already seen the results there: higher costs for passengers and airlines, pressure on workers, and more airport revenue flowing to private investors.

Canada’s airports are already productive public assets, generating approximately $525 million a year in revenue for the federal government. Giving private investors long-term concessions means trading away decades of that value for cash today.

In the middle of a trade war, handing profitable public infrastructure over to private investors is exactly the wrong move. If the goal is to make Canada stronger and more secure, we should be investing in the assets we depend on, keeping their value here at home.

Canada needs to invest in itself and protect good jobs. We won’t build a stronger Canada by selling pieces of it to the highest bidder.”

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