Spotlight on Airports: Hamilton Airport Expansion, Canada

Airport expansion projects in Canada aren’t confined to just the major cities.  The John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport has recently been given permission for a CAD$40 million upgrade to their existing airport facilities. Planned as a four-phase project, the Hamilton Airport expansion works will provide a steady stream of airport construction jobs in Canada over the coming years. Here’s what the airport expansion project will cover.

Hamilton Airport Runway Strengthening

Hamilton International Airport’s main runway is one of the longest runways in Southern Ontario, with a large portion of its flights used for domestic air cargo. However, that is changing, with passenger numbers increasing by 21% to over 700,000 in 2018 alone. The airport’s strategic location in Southern Ontario – close to Toronto and yet far enough away to provide uncongested airport operations – makes it an attractive option for both passenger and cargo carriers serving the Ontario market. 

To continue to serve these clients, the main runway will be strengthened in order to handle heavier freight traffic and the wider aircraft that are typically used for long-haul routes. In addition, the secondary crosswind runway – which is used as an alternative approach and departure path during poor weather – is also planned to be strengthened. Further design and construction works will also be required to increase the efficiency of this second runway. To support this increase in aircraft operations, the taxiways between the two runways will also need to be upgraded – welcome news for airfield pavement engineers and highways engineers with airport experience. The main runway, crosswind runway, and taxiway upgrades are the first three phases of the Hamilton Airport expansion project.

Airfield Lighting Upgrades

In addition to the taxiway and runway upgrades at Hamilton Airport, the final phase of the airport expansion project is to upgrade the existing airfield lighting. Installation of advanced LED airfield lighting technologies are planned in order to increase reliability and efficiency while also reducing CO2 emissions. While the runway upgrades make up the bulk of the Hamilton Airport expansion project, electrical engineers with airfield lighting experience will soon be called upon to ensure that the upgraded runways are safe and functional for aircraft. 

Supporting Growth in Hamilton

The Hamilton Airport expansion project is expected to create nearly 400 airport construction jobs throughout its duration. But as Canada’s fastest growing airport for both passengers and cargo services, the government, the Hamilton Airport authority, and developers are all considering what additional construction works are required in order to support this continued growth. In addition to continued upgrades to the existing airport facilities, new warehouses are being built to serve the cargo and courier services, and authorities are already considering what improvements are required to the nearby Highway 403. 

One thing is clear – upgrading Hamilton airport will drive further construction jobs in Ontario over the coming years. If you are interested in being a part of the airport expansion project for one of Canada’s fastest growing airports, please get in touch with your CV, or feel free to sign up for our job alerts to be kept informed of our latest airport construction jobs. 

About the Author

Steve Thomas
Construction Recruitment Director, UK & Canada
I am responsible for the Maxim Recruitment office in the UK where our team of recruitment consultants specialise in the recruitment of quantity surveyors, commercial managers, delay, dispute and claims consultants for civil engineering and building contractors and specialist construction consultancies.  I am also responsible for growing our recruitment operation in Canada and the USA where we are increasingly busy.  I have over 20 years’ experience in construction recruitment and enjoy working on both contingency and search/headhunting assignments for our repeat clients.
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