No longer ‘Sleepy Old Pitt Meadows’: Airport looks for new classification

The Pitt Meadows Regional Airport has city council’s support to explore upgrading its port of entry status, a move that would make it easier for international aircrafts to land in the city. 

At a meeting on Tuesday evening, council unanimously voted to back the airport’s request for an AOE/15 classification from the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA). 

The designation, which requires CBSA’s approval, would allow unscheduled, private aircrafts of up to 15 people from the U.S. to land and clear customs in Pitt Meadows. 

“It allows us to have a significant operational enhancement and service upgrade,” stated Guy Miller, manager of the Pitt Meadows Airport during Tuesday’s meeting. “It provides us with seamless arrivals from the States.” 

The CBSA currently lists the Pitt Meadows Airport as a CANPASS Port of Entry, meaning, like a Nexus pass, all international travellers aboard a private aircraft need the pre-approved permit to land in the city. 

If one person doesn’t have a CANPASS, the plane needs to be rerouted to Vancouver, Abbotsford, or Boundary Bay — airports with AOE/15 titles — before landing in Pitt Meadows. This puts the airport at a significant disadvantage, according to Miller.

“We have a beautiful terminal and executive aircraft coming in. We should be able to get aircraft into our airport and not have to clear Abbotsford, Boundary, or YVR,” Miller stated. “It levels the playing field.” 

The new rules would only apply to private flights, as the Pitt Meadows airport does not service commercial U.S. aircrafts. 

Miller added that he doesn’t foresee the AOE/15 designation causing noise or traffic disturbances to the community, especially considering modern aircrafts are made up with technology that reduces volume.  

The airport already gets weekly requests from businesses to fly into Pitt Meadows, Miller said, so the move is trying to streamline the landing process. 

“It’s about taking what we already do, adding to our current service, and making YPK more desirable and efficient,” Miller said. 

Calls for a new port of entry designation come a little less than two years after the Pitt Meadows Airport underwent a series of improvements, including the construction of a new terminal.  

Coun. Bob Meachen voiced his support for the new designation, saying it would make for a nice complement to the new additions and increase business opportunities in Ridge Meadows. 

“A lot of people want to harken back to sleepy, old, little Pitt Meadows and the airport the way it was,” Meachen said. “It makes a lot of sense to make sure we’re using all those assets and resources to the fullest.” 

City council and staff are expected to write a letter to the CBSA, advocating for AOE/15 status in the near future. 

No timeline was given for when a decision will be made.