John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM)

2023-2043 Master Plan Update

Imagery Source: Google Earth Pro

Introduction

Welcome to the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) 2023 Master Plan website. This website was created to provide publicly available information about the Airport Master Plan currently being prepared for Hamilton International Airport (the Airport). It also provides an opportunity for anyone to leave feedback, comments or questions related to the Airport Master Plan.

The YHM 2023 Master Plan project began in October 2022 and is anticipated to run until June 2023.

Source: Hamilton International Airport

What is an Airport Master Plan?

An Airport Master Plan is a comprehensive plan for an airport that provides a rational long-term vision, typically for the next 20 years. This plan protects airport lands for long-term operational and business objectives, such as the future development of a new commercial area or addition of pavements to the airport’s taxiway system.

The Airport Master Plan also assists airport management in making informed, strategic decisions when the time comes to make them. Its content is not set in stone – it is not a regulatory document, or a rigid, prescriptive plan, rather a flexible, living document that can be adapted in light of changing social, economic and/or environmental conditions. The Airport is not bound to implement any of the recommendations in the Airport Master Plan.

The Airport Master Plan also documents what may be in store for the Airport to inform stakeholders and allow for consultation and discussion with anyone who may be interested in or impacted by these plans. In fact, feedback is welcomed; please keep reading for a comment box where you are welcome to provide us with your thoughts.

Each recommendation, including implementation and timing, is assessed from the perspective of many criteria, including operational necessity, the Airport’s financial capability, and a review of cost v. benefit of that recommendation.

Planning Process

The YHM 2023 Master Plan will follow the typical Airport Master Planning Process as supported by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Travel Association (IATA).

The process begins with Data Collection, in which an evaluation and inventory of the Airport takes place and stakeholder and public consultations begin to obtain as much information as possible about the Airport to consider during the development of the Master Plan. Based on collected data, opportunities and constraints for the Airport are identified and an aviation activity forecast is created to generate anticipated future conditions upon which the Master Plan will be based. In the Needs Assessment, infrastructure, facility, land and other requirements are identified; community and environmental impacts are assessed and preliminary development options for future airport growth and development are prepared and evaluated. After the evaluation of airport development concepts, a recommended option is selected and refined for the Airport Development Plan, and a Land Use Plan is developed based on it. Next, the first draft of the Master Plan is prepared, followed by the 20-year Capital and Phasing Plan to guide development priority and estimate costs required to undertake such development. Finally, the Airport Master Plan final draft is completed and submitted.

Public Consultation Drawings

On May 10, 2023, Hamilton International Airport held a public open house from 2:00pm-5:00pm. During this public consultation session, the draft drawings below were presented for viewing and comments. Each drawing can be enlarged for viewing of smaller details by clicking on it. For those who were unable to attend the meeting, the collection of feedback and question continues - simply continue scrolling to Public Input section on this website and submit using the comment box.

Public Input

A key component of any Airport Master Plan is the collection of feedback from airport stakeholders and members of the community that is served by the Airport, to name a few. Public Consultation for the YHM 2023 Airport Master Plan ran from March 17 through June 2, 2023.

Your Airport,
Your Voice.
It Matters.

Your voice matters to us. If you have any thoughts, concerns or questions about this Airport Master Plan, please reach out using the comment box. Each response will be read and, where applicable, responded to or considered in the development of the YHM 2023 Master Plan. All contact information and messages will be kept confidential and will only be used for the purpose of developing the Airport Master Plan.

Public Consultation has now ended. Thank you for your input!

Frequently Asked Questions

Airport Master Plans are updated approximately once every five (5) years to reflect changes to the airport, surrounding community and regional and international social, environmental and economic environments. Airport Master Plans may also be updated as needed if there are no market conditions that would warrant an update to the previous master plans.
Any questions, comments or concerns can be submitted using the comment box in the Public Input section of this website. All responses are reviewed by the Airport and, where applicable, considered during the development of the Airport Master Plan. Alternatively, you may choose to reach out to the Airport directly using the contact details at the bottom of this page.
An Airport Master Plan is comprised of several components. It provides background on the airport, including history and purpose; analyzes existing airport facilities and infrastructure to document their states; provides the results of demand forecasts and capacity analyses conducted; details anticipated needs for the Airport over the 20-year planning horizon for the plan; presents a recommended Airport Development Plan and Land Use Plan; speaks to environmental considerations; and provides a Capital and Phasing Plan to prioritize and estimate anticipated costs for all recommendations.
An Airport Development Plan is a comprehensive plan that outlines the future growth and development of an airport. It includes recommended physical changes, such as expansion, construction, relocation or even removal of air terminal buildings, runways, taxiways, and other infrastructure to expand passenger and cargo capacity, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the overall airport user experience. The Airport Development Plan takes into account current trends in aviation, projected future growth in air traffic, environmental impact assessments, and community feedback.
The Airport Land Use Plan is based on the Airport Development Plan. It illustrates which land use category each facility or portion of the airport would fall under. Some examples of land use categories are Air Terminal, Airside System, Transportation and Parking, Airside Commercial, Landside Commercial and Airport Reserve. The ultimate goal of an Airport Land Use Plan is to allow for safe and efficient airport operations while also promoting compatible adjacent land uses on airport lands.
After all relevant data is collected at the outset of the Airport Master Plan project, a number of demand analyses, including aircraft traffic and passenger forecasts, are conducted and prepared in line with industry best practices and combined with the feedback heard from the Airport and stakeholders to determine the course of action that is the most feasible and sustainable.
The Capital and Phasing Plan, prepared toward the end of the master planning process, attaches a numerical value to each of the recommendations proposed in the Airport Master Plan and prioritizes them with an emphasis on balance between urgency and financial feasibility.

Project Schedule

Stay tuned for updates regarding the progress of the Airport Master Plan.

Data Collection: Completed October 2022
Opportunities and Constraints: Completed January 2023
Needs Assessment: Completed April 2023
Recommended Development Plan: Underway (Estimated completion May 2023)

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