>Emirates Airlines made Vancouver a priority, but B.C. sees open skies agreements as being about more than a “single airline”
By Andrew Petrozzi
Expanding international air access to B.C. is a larger issue for the province than the diplomatic dispute that erupted between the federal government and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week over Canadian landing rights, according to provincial transportation minister Shirley Bond.
“It’s critical to our success as Canada’s Pacific gateway,” she told Business in Vancouver.
Ottawa’s unwillingness to agree to new landing rights that would expand access to Canadian airports for UAE-based Emirates Airlines and Etihad resulted in the eviction of Canadian Forces from Camp Mirage, a Persian Gulf military base used to support military operations in Afghanistan.
Both airlines offer three direct flights a week to Canada.
Emirates, which flies into Toronto, has been lobbying to expand that significantly, particularly into Western Canada, where it wants to provide daily service to Vancouver and Calgary.
During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Bond was joined by Emirates Airlines’ Andrew Parker, senior vice-president, public, international, industry and environment, to announce an InterVISTAS study showing new Emirates flights to Vancouver would generate $118 million in economic benefits and almost 700 new jobs.
Tony Gugliotta, senior vice-president, marketing and commercial development for the Vancouver Airport Authority, was also on hand.
Bond said she had not been involved in any formal discussions with the UAE and was not privy to its discussions with the federal government.
“It isn’t about a single airline. It’s about [increased international air access for B.C.] and that broader policy issue of how we take advantage of an evolving relationship, in particular, with Asia,” she said. “While I’m disappointed about the circumstances that have evolved through that discussion, I’m certainly not a part of those discussions formally and have not had recent discussions with the UAE.”
Bond added that there’s a strong business case for expanded international access. B.C., along with Alberta and Saskatchewan, has stressed the importance of open skies to Western Canada.
“If you look at a thing like approved destination status with China, we have all kinds of opportunities to look at increased flights into our province,” Bond said.
For Gugliotta, building and developing the airport as a premier global gateway is a key goal for the authority.
He said new air services provide options for travellers while “substantially contributing” to B.C.’s economy.
“Every new daily international long-haul flight into YVR generates between $5 million and $8 million in wages and contributes between $8 million and $15 million to B.C.’s gross domestic product annually.”
Transport Canada said the federal government is not reconsidering its Blue Sky policy in light of the UAE situation and that the policy had been “very effective” in generating benefits for Canadians.
Asked about Air Canada’s involvement in discussions involving the UAE, Transport Canada said the federal government consults Canadian airlines and airports from all parts of the country in implementing the Blue Sky policy. It also takes into consideration trade and tourism objectives as well as requests for negotiation from foreign governments.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokeswoman said Canada and the UAE have a strong bilateral relationship.
“Canada fully expects to maintain a positive relationship with this important country, and it is in the interests of both countries to do so.”
There is increasing pressure from the business community on the federal government to adopt a “true” open skies approach to air agreements for passengers and cargo.
The Richmond Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Prince George Chamber of Commerce recently submitted its “Moving Beyond Blue Skies into Truly Open Skies” resolution at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting, where it was approved September 28.
“Open skies has our support and the support of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, not to mention hundreds of chambers across the country. This is the voice of business speaking,” said John Winter, president and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce. “We’re saying it’s time Canada joined the rest of the developed world by putting our communities at the heart of air agreements by adopting a truly open skies approach.”
Bond said the province has done its part to attract additional carriers by providing an aviation fuel tax exemption for international flights.
“Now we have to deal with the other issue and that’s international access and an open skies policy. Incrementally we’re seeing an improved possibility of those flights.”
Bond added that the government met with numerous international carriers during the Olympic Games and she hopes to reconnect with them in the coming months.
“I’m very confident that we can continue to see incremental capacity, but ultimately the best thing we could see is that change to an open skies policy,” she said. “I really don’t want to see it become a political issue as it has certainly in the case of the UAE.”
Her goal is to continue to find a way to liberalize international access.
As for the UAE?
“The UAE will have to deal more specifically with their issues obviously at this point directly with the federal government.”