Keep Canada's Airports Public

AI summary

Petitioners argue that Canada’s airports are critical national infrastructure developed with public investment and that privatization could transfer control to profit-driven owners, risking higher fees, reduced accountability, and pressure on labour standards. They ask the Government of Canada to reject proposals to privatize, sell, or transfer ownership or control of Canadian airports and to maintain public oversight to protect affordability, accessibility, safety, regional connectivity, and labour standards.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the Government of Canada Canada’s airports are critical national infrastructure supporting economic stability, national security, emergency response, tourism, trade, regional connectivity, and the movement of millions of Canadians and visitors each year; Canada’s airports were developed through public investment and are intended to operate in the public interest for the benefit of travellers, workers, communities, and future generations; The privatization or sale of airport infrastructure risks transferring control of essential public assets to private investors whose primary obligation is maximizing profits and shareholder returns; International examples of airport privatization have demonstrated risks including increased fees, higher airline operating costs, more expensive air travel, reduced public accountability, and pressure on labour standards and staffing levels; and Aviation workers play an essential role in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and reliability of Canada’s transportation system. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to reject any proposal to privatize, sell, or transfer ownership or control of Canadian airports to private, for-profit interests, and to maintain airports as publicly accountable infrastructure operated in the public interest while protecting affordability, accessibility, labour standards, safety, regional connectivity, public oversight of critical infrastructure, and ensuring Canada’s airports continue to operate for the long-term public good rather than short-term private financial gain.

Government response

No government response is available yet.