When I became Chair of the Board of Directors in 2019, I could never have imagined leading the governance function of the Ottawa International Airport Authority through a global pandemic. But, here we are formally wrapping up and reporting on an unprecedented and very challenging 2020.

In March, the federal government responded to the threat of the COVID-19 virus by closing the border with the United States and limiting international travel to only four airports within Canada that did not include Ottawa. These restrictions were put in place to prevent the virus from entering and spreading within the country. As Mark Laroche, the Authority’s President and CEO, will share in his letter, the Airport suffered an immediate and significant drop in passengers. The Authority’s financial situation also declined dramatically, calling for a swift change in priorities, including reviewing the long list of items that were due to be initiated, advanced and completed during the year. Many projects and programs included in the Authority’s Strategic Action Plan were cancelled or deferred in the interest of cutting costs and preserving funds.

The Ottawa International Airport’s reputation of being fiscally prudent has served it well during the pandemic. The practice of “sweating the asset” means that despite growing pre-pandemic passenger volumes, the Authority made the most of available space and existing infrastructure to accommodate growth, rather than undergoing a costly expansion. The terminal, which was built in 2003 to accommodate 5 million passengers, exceeded these figures in 2018 and 2019, but we chose not to take on the debt required to add space. In hindsight, these decisions have proven even more critical to the Authority’s ability to weather this storm.

As the Board deliberated with Mark and his team through the year, the team impressed us with their ability to shift and reposition as the pandemic’s severity and impact increased. The team acted on every public health directive from January to December. These included ever-changing signage, deploying a full physical distancing program –complete with floor decals, plexiglas shields, automated public address system announcements, enhanced cleaning protocols, and launching a COVID-19 micro website with up-to-date information for travellers and campus employees. These activities, coupled with many other health and safety measures, have ensured that all employees and passengers have been kept safe. For this, and so much more, I am extremely grateful.

We all hoped a recovery would begin to happen by the summer of 2020. As we know, that did not occur. Instead, the virus persisted, and additional travel restrictions were implemented to address growing COVID-19 infection rates. Mark will elaborate, but I can tell you that he and his team responded effectively and thoughtfully as many critical decisions were made to safeguard the Airport’s future.

I would like to thank Mark and the entire Authority team for their patience, adaptability and resilience in the face of the ongoing changes and constant challenges. Many have continued to work from home with incredible efficiency and dedication. Those who were required to work on-site have done so with extreme caution, following public health directives for the health and safety of their colleagues and passengers alike. I am so proud of all they have done to ensure that the Airport is in the best possible position when the recovery begins.

The Board was also required to shift its focus as financial sustainability became the most critical priority for the Authority. While regular committee work continued, albeit by video conference, all matters were viewed through an even more magnified financial lens. I want to commend each member for their dedication and willingness to adapt to the situation by demonstrating their unwavering commitment to the Authority.

The Board said goodbye to member Brendan McGuinty in 2020. Brendan, who was nominated by the City of Ottawa and joined the Board in 2011, chaired the Governance Committee and provided invaluable counsel on many important files during his tenure. His contributions were appreciated and he will be missed.

I was delighted to welcome a new member to the Board. Mario Cuconato joined us in September and filled the vacant City of Ottawa position. Mario brings a wealth of business experience in the public and private sectors as well as facilities and infrastructure management – all skills that will serve the Authority well.

I look forward to our eventual return to meetings in the Airport’s boardroom, where we can provide a proper, in-person welcome to Mario.

By now, it is no mystery that the pandemic will endure through 2021 as efforts to administer approved vaccines continue. I hope at this time next year I can share the news that we are in recovery and that the Authority has resumed work on projects such as YOW+. I also hope to be able to celebrate efforts to rebuild our flight schedule. YOW’s route map will look very different for some time. Capturing accurate data will be critical as the airlines determine which markets to serve when meaningful recovery happens.

To that end, we need your help. If travel is essential now, or when public health guidelines deem non-essential travel to be acceptable again, I would ask that you include the Ottawa International Airport in your flight plans. Airlines need to understand actual demand from our community as they consider which routes to re-establish.

The Airport is an essential part of our local tourism ecosystem. Industry devastation has permeated the community, with hoteliers, restaurateurs, retailers and scores of individuals who work in the sector suffering the loss. Our recovery is their recovery and vice versa, and while we know that this will take some time, we will be all-in to help push more inbound tourism and to do what we can to stimulate demand.

We look forward to resuming our role as an economic generator, fueling both the local economy and broader industry recovery. Rest assured that we will be ready to do so safely and responsibly when the time is right.

I will close my remarks with a final thank you to the community. The air travel process has transformed with new measures and protocols at every step. When travel has been necessary, you have been cooperative and kind. We appreciate the role you have and continue to play in safe travel during the pandemic.