Most people think of airports simply as a place to board a flight, but consider this: 67 new jobs have been created right here at the Fredericton International Airport over the last three years.

This is more than just a one-time event: every year for the past three years, the Fredericton International Airport has increased direct employment by an average of 10 per cent. In total, 269 people are employed on site at the airport, and those jobs are made possible by a consistent trend of increased passenger traffic and new air services.

The story doesn’t end there, though. Direct employment is just one piece of the economic stimulus the Fredericton International Airport brings to New Brunswick; jobs are also created in businesses that supply the firms located at the airport, and even more jobs are created as a result of employees spending money in our community.

In 2011, research by an independent firm determined that 586 jobs in New Brunswick were supported by the Fredericton International Airport, and this number is projected to rise to 1,012 jobs by 2030.

Those same projections indicate that the Fredericton International Airport will be at 500,000 passengers a year by 2030 and contributing $41.5-million to New Brunswick’s GDP.

“We are proud to be an economic driver for the region. Passenger traffic growth combined with the innovative spirit of the businesses located here at the airport is key to creating these new jobs.” says Johanne Gallant, President and CEO of the Fredericton International Airport Authority.

Maritime Helicopters is just one example of this entrepreneurial spirit: over the past few years they have built and renovated over 25,000 square feet of hanger and work space at the Fredericton International Airport. The space is occupied by businesses offering plane and helicopter pilot training, as well as a maintenance and helicopter rebuilding facility.

Earl Brewer of Maritime Helicopters says, “over 500 people from outside our province and country come to the training and maintenance facilities every year. They spend real money, their own money.  Credit goes to the people who run these businesses: Mike Tilly of MFC, Robb Thorne of Advanced Helicopter, and Pat Green of Maritime Helicopter. This activity creates high paying jobs and lots of them. ”

The airport authority is currently planning a terminal expansion which would generate an additional 319 jobs during construction. With the current terminal operating 75 per cent beyond the capacity it was designed to handle, the expansion is necessary to accommodate the existing traffic as well as provide space for the airport’s projected growth.

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The Fredericton International Airport serves 350,000 passengers annually and offers direct flights to the major hubs of Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Halifax, along with seasonal service to Cancun, Varadero, and Holguin.