Fredericton International Airport in New Brunswick, Canada, will undergo a major expansion and renovation of its existing terminal to accomodate growing passenger traffic.

The renovated terminal building will have the capacity to handle 500,000 domestic and international passengers a year and will improve traffic flow through the airport.

Expansion works are expected to begin in mid-2018 and will last up to 30 months. The design phase of the expansion has been completed.

The airport operator aims to generate 1,015 jobs and contribute approximately $41.5m to the gross domestic product (GDP) and $14.7m in taxes to New Brunswick by 2030.

Details of the Fredericton International Airport terminal expansion

The expansion and renovation project will increase the size of the terminal by 50% by upgrading and expanding various facilities.

The security screening area in the terminal will be modernised to provide more services and high level of safety and security. The ticket counter space will also be refurbished to install additional ticket counters and add the second security line to improve passenger circulation during peak travel times.

Arrivals and waiting lounge areas will be expanded to create additional seating capacity for international passengers. The departures area will also be enlarged to accommodate additional seating and security areas.

Covered walkways will be installed at the terminal for boarding passengers into the aircraft.

The expanded terminal will have a larger kitchen and dining area, a food service and café area, a play area for kids, and additional restrooms.

Sustainable features of the expanded terminal building

The renovated terminal building will feature a number of sustainable features such as LED lighting and higher building envelope insulation.

The heating and cooling system will be replaced by a geothermal version in order to increase energy efficiency throughout the year. Skylights and large windows will allow natural light and air flow into the core of terminal.

Financing for the Fredericton International Airport terminal expansion

The Fredericton International Airport terminal expansion project is estimated to cost up to $30m.

The governments of Canada and New Brunswick signed an agreement to invest up to $9m each in the terminal expansion project in May 2018. The funding will be provided through the New Building Canada Fund, Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component-National and Regional Projects (PTIC-NRP).

The remaining $12m is being funded by the Fredericton International Airport Authority (FIAA) by reinvesting the revenues generated by the airport.

Benefits of the passenger terminal expansion

The terminal expansion and renovation project is expected to create 572 full-time equivalent jobs during the construction phase and up to 662 full-time equivalent jobs during the operational phase.

It is estimated that the project will contribute $25.8m in labour income to New Brunswick region each year.

Details of the existing terminal at Fredericton International Airport

The current terminal at the Fredericton International Airport has been operating beyond its designed annual passenger capacity of 200,000 for more than ten years, despite capacity constraints and outdated infrastructure.

Passenger traffic at the airport has increased by 30% over the past five years to reach approximately 398,000.

The original terminal building built in 1960 was expanded by 750m² in 2002 through subsequent renovations. Significant improvements were made in 2005 and in 2009 to meet the growing passenger traffic.

Facilities at the existing terminal building include baggage handling systems, explosive detection system (EDS), self-service check-in kiosks, a single security line, a business centre, a restaurant and lounge, and a gift shop.