Throughout this crisis, as we’ve consulted constantly with stakeholders and kept the public informed, our first priority has been the health and wellbeing of passengers, Toronto Pearson employees and the GTAA’s many business partners. While it will take time to gauge the pandemic’s long-term consequences, what we’re seeing on a daily basis is an extraordinary level of collaboration as members of the Pearson community work together to implement public health protocols, reinforce safety and security, and manage the logistics around the largest repatriation of Canadians in our country’s history. The responsibilities that come with being Canada’s gateway to the world have never been more evident.

A coordinated effort

I’ve spent most of my career in the engineering and architectural sector, planning and developing major infrastructure projects across the country and around the globe. When I joined the GTAA Board in 2018, I was immediately struck by the sheer complexity of operations at Toronto Pearson. It takes innumerable systems and processes, all seamlessly integrated, to support tens of millions of passengers a year as they travel to, from and between nearly 200 destinations worldwide. Even more importantly, it requires the coordinated efforts of the 50,000 people who work at our airport. Toronto Pearson employees, with their diverse skills and experience, confer and collaborate around the clock, often in challenging environments, to ensure safe, consistent, reliable service and the best possible passenger experience. Partnerships, as this year’s annual report theme suggests, are critical to our airport’s success.

Some 400 companies, agencies and organizations work together at Toronto Pearson to connect Canada with the world and welcome travellers to our country’s doorstep. Equally vital are the partnerships we forge externally: with government and community leaders in our region and nationwide; with Metrolinx and other agencies responsible for ground transportation networks; with business leaders who value our airport’s role as a driver of job creation and economic growth; and with national and global organizations devoted to advancing secure, efficient and sustainable air travel.

Investing in sustainability

In reviewing these various collaborative initiatives over the past year, the Board has identified two key priorities that will define our strategic agenda going forward.

The first is sustainability. Canadians, like people around the world, are increasingly concerned about the impacts of air travel on climate change. As a recognized leader in the aviation sector, Toronto Pearson is actively exploring what more we can do to meet this worldwide challenge, both in our own operations and through our ability to encourage partners and support nearby communities. To guide and focus these efforts, the Board has asked the GTAA executive team to build on the existing environmental management system and prepare a comprehensive sustainability plan that will complement our overall corporate strategy. The plan will map out how we can help fulfill the global commitment to significantly reduce our collective carbon footprint.

We consider environmental, social and governance factors in every aspect of the GTAA’s business activities and longer-term decision-making. This annual report highlights some of the key partnerships we’ve forged to put that commitment into action. As Toronto Pearson continues evolving to meet growing demand, our strategy must be sustainable.

The value of innovation

Another priority for the next year and beyond is our continuing investment in innovation. Like all forward-looking enterprises, the GTAA works to foster a culture of creative collaboration and problem solving – through our use of technology, and by constantly adapting and rethinking the many interrelated processes by which we manage the flow of passengers, airside and groundside, as well as the flow of aircraft, cargo and baggage.

Many of our innovation efforts at Toronto Pearson are ultimately focused on the passenger journey, whether outbound, inbound or transferring between connecting flights. We’re constantly seeking new ways, working with government agencies where appropriate, to expedite check-in, security screening, and customs and immigration while ensuring travellers enjoy a stress-free experience. Here again, the key to success is collaboration with air carriers and our security and border control agencies as we investigate everything from improved passport scanning systems to biometric technologies.

As cargo becomes an even more significant component of Pearson's operations, we’re also working with our partners and stakeholders to implement innovative logistics solutions that will help ensure the efficient, effective movement of goods both on the airport property and in the wider transportation network. Above all, we’re constantly examining and, where appropriate, adopting proven strategies to improve safety for all of our passengers and workers.

Whether developing original solutions or adapting proven models from the world’s top-ranked airports, Toronto Pearson’s various teams of experts share a common goal: helping people move efficiently and comfortably and safely through our terminals. For our airline customers, that positive airport experience translates into greater passenger satisfaction and increased loyalty. As for travellers, the faster they’re able to get through check-in and screening, the more time they have to relax and enjoy Pearson’s dining, shopping and other world-class amenities. This in turn generates higher commercial revenues, which we invest in further enhancing and developing our facilities, sustaining the virtuous circle of continuous improvement.

Transition in leadership

Pursuing our innovation and sustainability goals requires close collaboration among many stakeholders within the GTAA and across the wider Toronto Pearson community. The pace, breadth and impact of our collective efforts reflect both the power of our vision and the exemplary leadership of our executive team, led by President and CEO Howard Eng from 2012 until earlier this year.

Over the past eight years, we’ve seen a steady increase in passenger traffic, and Toronto Pearson is now ranked fifth in the world for international connectivity. We’re indebted to Howard and his team for guiding us through this period of dramatic growth. They’ve elevated our airport to the top of the global rankings for service quality while setting new standards for operational excellence. At the same time, they’ve extended the GTAA’s vision of connectivity into the surrounding region, leading the way in championing an integrated transit hub at Pearson and helping to establish the Southern Ontario Airport Network. Howard’s record of success has earned him the trust and respect of our diverse stakeholders and the admiration of his industry peers worldwide.

Last year, Howard announced his intention to retire in 2020. The Board quickly appointed an ad hoc committee to begin conducting a worldwide search for a successor. During the yearlong process, we identified and met with dozens of internal and external candidates who represented the best and brightest among global airport leaders. And in November 2019, we were pleased to announce a meeting of minds with someone whose credentials, experience and impressive track record matched the high standards our Board had established for the CEO position.

As of February 2020, the new President and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority is Deborah Flint, an internationally recognized airport executive who has worked in the aviation and transportation industry for nearly 25 years, most recently as the CEO of Los Angeles World Airports. In leading LAX – the world’s fourth-busiest airport, serving more than 87.5 million passengers in 2018 – Deborah has overseen a multi-billion-dollar modernization program that represents the largest public works project in the history of Los Angeles. She knows firsthand what’s required to guide a major airport through a period of significant growth and transformation. She has a wealth of experience in addressing all of the other key priorities of a major global hub, including maintaining safety, fostering sustainability, integrating regional transit and delivering the highest-quality passenger experience. Equally important, Deborah appreciates the vital need to build effective, respectful partnerships with government, business and communities. And she’s also a Canadian, so we’re very happy to welcome her home!

In short, we believe Deborah has the talent, expertise and depth of experience to lead Toronto Pearson forward into the next phase of our transformative journey.

A foundation for the future

On behalf of the Board, I’d also like to express our gratitude to my predecessor as Chair, David Wilson, who completed his term in May 2019. During his four years in the role, David helped to evolve and strengthen the Board, attracting more diverse members with a broader range of expertise. He also leveraged his deep understanding of corporate governance to help build a solid foundation for the future.

The Board welcomed two new members in 2019. Marc Neeb recently retired as Chief Human Resources Officer with Magna International, North America’s largest auto parts manufacturer; earlier in his career, he gained a wealth of experience in municipal administration. Eric Plesman heads up the North American real estate operations of Oxford Properties; a member of the firm’s global investment committee, he also has broad international experience with a major investment bank. The skills and experience that Marc and Eric bring to the Board are already proving invaluable as we develop and oversee the GTAA’s long-term strategy.

Putting that strategy into action is the job of 1,800 committed GTAA employees and their tens of thousands of colleagues across Toronto Pearson. We also depend on the support of our large community of stakeholders, who value the local economic benefits of global connectivity. Their needs, goals and dreams for the future have shaped our evolution into a globally significant airport.

Together, we will do what’s needed to restore full connectivity in a post-pandemic world. As we renew our commitment to keep passengers healthy and safe, we’ll work with the global aviation community to reinforce and elevate the highest protective standards, ensuring travellers’ confidence as they resume flying. At the same time, we’ll support our airlines and other partners as we all adjust our expectations and day-to-day practices to the new normal. And we’ll continue improving and enhancing one of the world’s great airports – innovative, sustainable and driven by the power of partnerships.

Doug Allingham
Chair