OTTAWA — Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon won’t guarantee the cost to fly won’t go up for travellers if the federal government follows through on its plan to privatize Canada’s four largest airports but does promise an improved experience and partial regulation. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the federal government is seeking private investment to run Canada’s four major airports: Toronto-Pearson, Montreal-Trudeau, Calgary and Vancouver. In an interview on CTV Question Period airing Sunday, host Vassy Kapelos pressed MacKinnon repeatedly on whether he could guarantee ticket prices will not go up for travellers, and the transport minister would only promise no ‘unjustified’ increases. “We will have a program, as the prime minister announced, that will reward regional connectivity in Canada,” MacKinnon said. “Airfares are too expensive.” “This program is designed to reinvest partly in our air travel in Canada and make the regions and our largest airports more connected,” he added, pointing to the number of communities that have a lack or absence of service, and that do not have proper infrastructure in place. The transport minister also insisted there will be investment in the “passenger experience,” adding he doesn’t think travellers will notice a difference as the airports shift from public to private ownership. Speaking about how it will work, MacKinnon said the operating model for the four airports will be regulated, “so fares and fees will be partially regulated.” In announcing the plan this week, Carney said the federal government will retain ownership of the underlying land and assets, but can “unlock” the airports’ “true value” by privatizing their operations. He insisted the move will lead to a “better passenger experience.” When pressed again by Kapelos to guarantee Canadians airfare won’t go up any further, considering the already high prices travellers pay, MacKinnon said: “We believe that we can put in place agreements, solid agreements, as we go through this process that will reassure Canadians that there will be no unjustified increases in those kinds of fees.” Asked about a timeline to execute on the plan and whether legislation would be necessary, MacKinnon said the federal government will reveal more details in the coming weeks and months. MacKinnon in his interview also discussed the Liberals’ legislative agenda for the fall sitting in the House of Commons, which starts Monday. You can watch Transport Minister and Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon’s full interview on CTV Question Period Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. With files from CTV News’ Stephanie Ha
