Airport Traffic Reflects Comox Valley Boom

February 19, 2004

Airport Traffic Reflects Comox Valley Boom 
Business Edge, Canada

 
The two-year boom in Comox following introduction of
direct WestJet flights to Calgary has had eyes
popping, but with the addition of a new $12-million
terminal, international flights and cargo service in
early 2004, it’s safe to say they ain’t seen nothin’
yet. 

“Our (initial) 15-year growth plan is down to five
years,” says Chuck Fast, president and general manager
of the Comox Valley Airport Commission.

In 2000, the year before WestJet came to Comox, the
airport served 72,641 passengers; by 2002 the
passenger count rose to 147,426, supported by 10
non-stop WestJet Calgary flights and 115 weekly
flights to Vancouver by Pacific Coastal and Central
Mountain air.

Construction has begun on a new 3,000-square-metre air
terminal building, with 18,000-square-metre aircraft
apron. This expansion is expected to spur a
four-per-cent annual growth in passengers – to 185,000
by 2007 and 221,000 by 2012 – as more and larger
WestJet flights serve the growing market in central
and eastern Canada. 

 
Comox Valley Airport has seen a boom in passenger
traffic since a new terminal, international flights
and cargo service followed direct WestJet flights to
Calgary.

 
Opening up eastern markets will also attract Vancouver
Islanders who now must ferry to the mainland to access
eastern flights.

But what will take this little airport into the big
leagues is access to the second longest runway in the
province – at 10,000 feet, it can accommodate Boeing
747s. A new terminal and apron – and addition of
customs facilities – will provide room enough for the
big birds and their bigger loads and could boost
passenger counts an additional 70,000.

Suddenly, direct daily passenger and cargo flights to
Seattle are possible. International travel
capabilities make sunspots more accessible to Island
vacationers, and U.S. markets more accessible to
central Vancouver Island business.

The expansion spells an injection of jobs at three
levels – at the airport serving passengers and
handling cargo; in the tourism sector providing
accommodation, transportation, food and recreation for
travellers; and in local businesses where
service-sector employees spend their wages on
groceries, cars, clothing, entertainment and
purchasing or improving their homes.

Airport expansion is projected to add 818 jobs worth
$17 million in wages to the 10,110 jobs and $242
million in wages now generated by the airport and
regional tourism industry.

“It’s hard to measure the trickle-down (effect) says
Fast. “But I know we’ve had an increase in car rentals
this year” to about $1.2 million from $360,000. 

The Crown Isle Resort and Golf Community reports
increases both in numbers of guests and sales of
resort villas. 

“WestJet increased our client base in Alberta,” says
Carla Coulson, Crown Isle marketing and account
manager.

“The impact of working with WestJet has been huge,”
says Don Sharpe, of Mount Washington Alpine Resort. In
WestJet’s first year of operation, the ski hill
offered free lift tickets to anyone with a WestJet
boarding pass. Visits to Mount Washington Alpine
Resort increased to 400,000 from 300,000 visits – and
the growth is continuing.

The real estate market has also caught fire.

“I haven’t seen anything like it in my 26 years,” says
Dave Procter, co-owner of the Re/Max Dave Procter
Realty in Comox. “The market has exploded.”

Both sales and prices have skyrocketed. “Waterfront
values are up 25 per cent in the last 12 months.” And
sale prices for single-family homes have increased
too, to about $167,000 from about $143,000 between
2001 and 2003.

“Alberta buyers are up dramatically,” he says.
Retiring oilpatch baby boomers and younger career
couples buying recreation homes in anticipation of
retirement form the bulk of new buyers. It’s so
lucrative, Procter runs ads five days a week in
Calgary newspapers.

“When I started this business, it was my dream to have
40 realtors working here before I retire,” says
Procter. “There are 42 now – and I’m about 10 years
away.”

Non-tourism businesses are also sharing in the boom,
says Comox Mayor Jim Brass. “I’m a dentist,” he says,
“and I’ve seen an increase.”

In the near future, he sees the seafood industry
growing because of airport expansion. Now producers
truck their fish or live oysters to Vancouver for air
shipment to the U.S. Shipment costs will go down and
delivery frequency will go up, opening up new markets.

“The valley is booming right now,” says Brass. “We’ve
been discovered.” 

 

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