$22.4M investment to unlock 165 acres at Kelowna Airport

Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is set to undergo significant growth after receiving a $22.4 million federal investment. The funding will enable the development of 165 acres of airport land for industrial and aerospace purposes. Philip Elchitz, director of operations and innovation at YLW, explains that the airport already supports around 9,000 jobs and contributes approximately $2 billion to the annual economy.

With the new developments, this is expected to rise to 3 billion dollars in annual economic output and about 12,000 jobs annually.

The first phase of the project will focus on servicing roughly one-third of the available land, leaving two-thirds open for future investment. Three aerospace companies, De Havilland Aircraft, Wildcat Helicopters, and Fire Swarm, are already discussing potential opportunities on the site. For Wildcat Helicopters, the expanded footprint could mean hiring more employees and expanding its operations.

Okanagan College's new aerospace facility is set to open in 2027, which will increase the number of aircraft maintenance engineers from 64 to 144. The majority of the new infrastructure will be constructed on the eastern side of the runway, with construction expected to begin in spring 2025 and wrap up by the end of 2028.

The expansion plan aims to transform the eastern side of the airport into an aerospace hub, complete with new taxiways, hangars, offices, and companies. As a result, the number of people employed at YLW is anticipated to grow.