YYC Reopens Fully Rebuilt West Runway After $200M, Two-Year Rehabilitation

Calgary International Airport (YYC) has reopened its West Runway following a two-year, $200 million reconstruction project designed to expand long-term capacity and support forecasted passenger and cargo growth. The runway—one of the airport’s two primary airfield assets—now features upgraded strength, durability and sustainability measures intended to extend its useful life by at least 40 years.

“This is critical infrastructure,” said Calgary Airports President and CEO Chris Dinsdale. “We forecast that our passenger volumes could increase up to 40 per cent within the next five years. Everything we build now is made to meet that moment, to elevate passenger experience, and to make our operations more efficient and sustainable. The comprehensive work on the West Runway achieves all of that.”

Originally constructed in 1939, the West Runway had reached the end of its lifecycle as aircraft weights increased and flight frequency grew. YYC is now Canada’s fourth-busiest airport, a key hub for WestJet, and a major economic engine for the Calgary region.

Construction began in April 2024 and spanned two seasons with flights routed to alternate runways to maintain airfield operations. The project incorporated several conservation initiatives, including a water reuse program that saved nearly two million litres of potable water and recycling of more than 90 percent of materials such as asphalt, concrete and electrical components. The runway is also among the first airport projects in Canada to receive Envision Framework certification for sustainable infrastructure.

The rehabilitation was delivered by general contractor PCL Construction, completed under budget, and achieved a near-perfect safety record without reducing overall airfield capacity.

The Government of Canada supported the work through a $57.5 million Airport Critical Infrastructure Program grant. Calgary Airports funded the remaining $142.5 million.