b'70 INDUSTRY INSIDERInnovation is in the AirLike other airports worldwide,12.8% over the pre-pandemic baseline. Edmonton International AirportThis increase is remarkable becauseMyron Keehn will (YEG) is emerging from crisispassenger flights, and associated belly- officially begin his duties as the new chief management through the pandemic.cargo capacity, were still reduced fromexecutive officer for Despite the challenges we faced, somepre-pandemic levels. Edmonton Airports in truly remarkable opportunities emerged.YEG also became the first airport inJanuary 2023.Keehn In particular, our team had more time toCanada to achieve global certificationleverages 30 years of concentrate on other priorities beyondfor the safe handling of bio-pharma andprivate and public sector experience the challenges presented by COVID-19.agricultural exports and imports. Therein North and South America, Asia and We became resilient and rallied togetherare only six other airports worldwide withEurope to identify and implement effective like never before, shifting our focusnew approaches to airport business this certification, meaning YEGs cargodevelopment. Under his leadership, to spending a tremendous amount ofcommunity meets the highest global positive energy on improving our airportsthe Airport City Sustainability Campus standards for handling and transportingat Edmonton International has set new innovative practices and processes. Bycargo that requires cold storage. standards for landside development and changing our scope of work to be lesspartnerships with emerging sustainable preoccupied with the pandemic, weYEG is an attractive cargo hub asindustries. positioned YEG to be ready for takeoffCanadas closest major airport to many when the world reopened. parts of Asia by circumpolar routes. We are also a strategic location to accessWe focus on managing airport assets We focused on continuing toEurope, the Middle East and Africa, andresponsibly, supporting environmental innovate and grow our Airport Citya major entry point into North America.stewardship and driving regional Sustainability Campus, providingAs Canadas largest airport by landeconomic prosperity.opportunities for businesses to pushmass, we have uninhibited room to the boundaries in fields like artificialIn 2021, YEG became the worlds grow cargo-focused infrastructure. Wefirst airport to sign the Climate Pledge, intelligence, drones, reforestation,recently completed construction on and energy sources such as solar andan Amazon-led initiative pledging to our new 47,000-square-meter cargobe carbon neutral by 2040. YEG and hydrogen. Airport City is a magnet forapron, allowing us to accommodate six investment, attracting more than $1.5Air Canada also signed Canadas first more widebody cargo planes. Recently,sustainability agreement between an billion in private investment over thethe federal government announced past nine years, and is an expandingairline and an airport. This partnership $100 million in funding to increase ourfocuses on initiatives that promote center for transportation, cargocargo and logistics handling operation. logistics, manufacturing, sustainability,a cleaner environment, including the The project will convert approximatelyelectrification of aviation equipment, technology development and tourism.2,000 acres of land into a new global The campus is an integrated ecosystemthe development of sustainable aviation cargo hub, expanding our multimodalfuels, biofuels and hydrogen and many spurring collaboration and innovationdistribution throughout Canada, the U.S. while fostering the commercialization ofother actions to reduce and offset and Mexico. carbon emissions.emerging clean technologies. It is also home to Canadas first consumer-facingWe are also pushing boundaries inYEGs focus on innovation, non-hydrogen hub, bringing together localvertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Inaeronautical revenue and sustainability and international companies to formDecember 2021, YEG became Canadashas transformed our airport into a partnerships, test new technologies andfirst airport to integrate drone logisticsglobal leader in airport operations and showcase the power of emissions-freeinto its daily operation, and in Maybeyond. We can attest that it takes more hydrogen fuel. 2022, we began regularly scheduledthan one to innovate. It is imperative drone delivery operations in controlledto collaborate through meaningful Surge in Cargo airspace. partnerships and share our experiences Interestingly, through the pandemic, wewith others worldwide. saw a surge in activity from dedicatedSustainabilitycargo operators.By the end of 2021,At YEG, every business decision is driven the overall cargo tonnage increased byby the triple bottom line of sustainability.November | December 2022AirportImprovement.com'