Source: Edmonton International Airport – YEG

  • New destinations, a new President & CEO, new partnerships and a renewed sense of excitement will help shape Edmonton International Airport’s vision into 2023 and beyond

Over the past year, Edmonton International Airport (YEG) demonstrated their commitment to sustainability, their dedication to the region and made the strategic brand shift from EIA to YEG to propel the airport’s international voice and reflect the local integrity of the region. YEG increased flights, welcomed brand-new airlines and more than doubled passenger numbers from 2021 – making it the largest increase in passenger numbers year-over-year the airport has ever seen.

In 2022, YEG bid farewell to long-time President & CEO Tom Ruth and was excited to welcome new President & CEO of Edmonton Airports Myron Keehn on January 1, 2023. Myron assumes his new position as President & CEO after a 15-year career on the leadership team at YEG. Myron will lead Edmonton International Airport (YEG) and Villeneuve Airport (ZVL) in continuing smooth operations, dreaming big, discovering new opportunities and taking the right steps to make it all happen.

“2022 was a year of learning, a year of firsts and a showcase of the perseverance of our region. YEG evolved in many ways and pushed the boundaries of what it means to be a global leader in the aviation industry. I am excited to be in this new role helping lead this incredible organization; we look forward to 2023 and continuing to elevate our region’s economic prosperity through aviation and commercial development at Edmonton Airports.”

  • Myron Keehn, President & CEO, Edmonton Airports

Final numbers for 2022 show YEG served 5.85 million passengers (a 109 per cent increase over 2021) and supported 97,496 total aircraft movements (a 38 per cent increase over 2021). YEG is proud to offer more non-stop destinations than before the pandemic and will continue to drive growth and increase flight frequencies around the world.

In 2022, YEG collaborated with existing airline partners to gain four brand-new destinations, while continuing to increase capacity to their more than 50 non-stop destinations. YEG also welcomed a brand-new airline, Lynx Air, to their network of air service partners.

In addition to air service expansion, YEG saw continued investments in Airport City with the opening of Indigenous Box and BEVO Farms, among others.

COVID-19 measures remained in place for the majority of the year. YEG offered testing centres for passengers and staff, employed additional cleaning measures, supported government agencies in enforcing restrictions and worked with partners to ensure compliance was met.

Despite travel restrictions and health measures, YEG continued to focus on creating a safe and welcoming space for everyone.

  •  As part of their commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, YEG has partnered with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, an internationally recognized program that provides Sunflower-branded items for passengers to wear to discreetly indicate to people around the wearer that they may need additional support, help or more time.
  • In 2022, YEG added a website tool called Max Access that alters the website display based on an individual’s need or disability.
  • In 2022, YEG strengthened their commitment to providing an accessible experience for both English- and French-speaking passengers. Their website, social media and much of the signage in the terminal is available in both French and English.
  • Moving into 2023 there will be an ongoing focus on creating a barrier-free and accessible space for everyone who visits the airport.

2022 brought many firsts, including a first for Canadian airports: an immersive Indigenous experience and retail space open year-round. The Indigenous Interpretative and Retail Centre at YEG is one way the airport is demonstrating their commitment to cultural and economic reconciliation and being an airport for everyone. The space was authentically and thoughtfully designed and created with guidance from Indigenous partners and contributors. In the space, travellers can also purchase a variety of traditional and contemporary Indigenous-made products using scannable QR codes and direct shipping.

In addition to accessibility programs and inclusivity initiatives, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) was a core focus area for 2022 and will remain a priority in 2023 and beyond. Supporting the Airport City Sustainability Campus – a business area at YEG that has attracted more than $1.5 billion in investment over the past nine years – continued to be a strategic focus area.

In May, YEG began regularly scheduled drone delivery operations in controlled airspace, making them Canada’s first airport to integrate drone logistics into its daily operation. In 2022, YEG serviced more than 300 commercial drone flights from the airport to the Pat Wilson Memorial Park in Leduc County.

Innovation and technology developments in sustainability were front and centre this year as YEG signed multiple hydrogen-focused partnership agreements with companies all around the world. The agreements propelled the goal of making Edmonton an international hydrogen hub, while continuing research and dedication to utilizing sustainable fuel sources.

Airport City Solar made waves this year as preliminary work continued on the world’s largest solar farm at an airport. Developer Alpin Sun will create a 627-acre solar farm at YEG, generating enough energy to power the equivalent of more than 27,000 homes. The energy used will help power YEG’s operations and contribute to their goal of being net zero by 2040. Alpin Sun is expected to begin development at YEG in 2023.

YEG also supported and hosted KLM Flight 675, which flew non-stop from Amsterdam to Edmonton in May 2022 as part of the Sustainable Flight Challenge presented by SkyTeam. KLM set a record for the longest flight powered by the largest percentage of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. YEG worked with KLM and other partners to apply an array of sustainability measures to reduce the flight’s carbon footprint. 

Attracting air service and increasing frequency to existing destinations was also a priority as restrictions lifted and travellers renewed their sense of excitement. The busiest day of the year was during the height of summer travel on August 22, 2022, seeing 13,525 passengers departing from YEG and a total of 29,660 passengers in the terminal. Focus remained on making the process safe, secure and efficient for travellers, including the launch of a new virtual queuing system for Central Security called YEG EXPRESS, in partnership with Copenhagen Optimization and CLEAR. The program – launched in coalition with Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Calgary International Airport (YYC) and Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) – saw more than 9,000 bookings from its infancy in late October 2022.

Cargo at Edmonton International Airport experienced another year of growth in 2022, rendering 52,000 tonnes of cargo moved, a 7.2 per cent increase over 2021.

To sustain this growth, YEG, in partnership with the Government of Canada, announced the development of the International Cargo Hub. This 2,000-acre cargo and logistics development will be one of the greenest logistics parks in North America and will serve as a vital trade corridor for Canada and position our country’s leadership in global supply chains by helping capitalize on the rapid global growth of e-commerce and import and export fulfilment.

YEG also completed a 47,000 square metre cargo apron expansion in 2022 in partnership with the Government of Canada which will increase cargo capacity by accommodating more planes on the apron at once for loading and unloading cargo.

These developments contributed to the cargo and logistics centre being the recipient of two awards in 2022:

  • TIACA Air Cargo – 2022 Corporate Sustainability Award
  • GHI Pride of Ground Handling Awards – Sustainability Award

To help foster growth and safety at YEG, Edmonton Airports uses Villeneuve Airport (ZVL), an important satellite airport to YEG, to ensure safe and efficient operations by diverting small, general aviation, recreation and training aircraft away from the larger airport. Villeneuve Airport is home to multiple businesses, including aircraft flight training, fixed-wing aircraft maintenance, helicopter maintenance and aviation operations. In 2022, ZVL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sturgeon County to co-found the Villeneuve Landing Network (VLN). As the founding members of VLN, ZVL will work with the County and regional partners to continue driving development in the region.

In 2022, YEG was highlighted on the international stage for their work within the community. YEG sponsored 42 events and activities in the region, including the Elevate Aviation Gala, the Canada Snowboard event and the Indigenous Tourism Alberta Gathering hosted on Enoch Cree Nation. In the summer, YEG also welcomed Pope Francis as he made his arrival from Vatican City to Edmonton, Alberta as part of his Walking Together Tour during the Papal Visit to Canada.

In addition to community involvement, the past few years have showcased the power of partnerships within the regional ecosystem, and, in 2022, YEG was proud to partner with various regional organizations, all levels of government, airlines, security, aviation and industry partners to propel the great work the Edmonton Metropolitan Region is doing.

Quick Facts

In 2022, YEG:

  • Served 5.85 million passengers
  • Supported 97,496 total aircraft movements
  • Gained four brand-new destinations
    • Domestic: Moncton (YQM), Charlottetown (YYG)
    • Transborder: Nashville (BNA), Tucson (TUS)
  • Offered more than 50 non-stop destinations
  • Moved 52,000 tonnes of cargo
  • The busiest day of the year was August 22, 2022
    • 13,525 passengers departing from YEG
    • Total of 29,660 passengers in the terminal