On May 18, 2001, local, provincial and federal political leaders participated in a groundbreaking ceremony on the west side of the existing Ottawa airport to kick-start the airport's $310 million new terminal construction project. Now, just over a year into the project, the facility is really taking shape.

Yesterday, yours truly and other members of the Greater Ottawa Chamber of Commerce (GOCC) Board of Directors toured the site and in a word, the project is awesome. If you are frequent traveller then you've seen the new three-level, 650,000 square foot structure and associated parking and roadway developments take shape. If you haven't been out to the airport lately to hop a flight or pick up grandma, you should take a drive out to see how last year's hole in the ground is this year's four-crane monument to modern engineering and construction.

The current airport terminal building last saw major improvements in 1986 and occupies around 400,000 square feet. It handles 3.2 million passengers per year, exceeding its capacity of 2.5 million. The new facility, slated for opening by Spring 2004, will accommodate 4.5 million passengers annually.

Airport officials can be justifiably proud of the progress so far. Bond offerings to fund the construction have been a hit in the marketplace and funds to finance these offerings are raised entirely through the $10 airport improvement fee. Although this fee will climb to $15 next January, one year earlier than planned (due to the economic downturn, contraction of low-cost carriers and post 9/11 issues), this is still better than tax dollars being used to finance this project or delaying the project timeline.

Walking through the site yesterday, from the basement with its associated telecommunications and baggage handling overhead installations … right through to the open areas that will overlook arrivals, baggage pick-up and departures, it is clear that the airport has been built around one key theme: hassle-free travel.

Capacity will increase from 21 to 27 gates (15 new plus 12 existing gates, nine of the existing gates will be phased out) and climate-controlled passenger bridges to and from parking are planned. Traffic into the airport will be facilitated through separate arrival and departure levels and ease of navigation around the new structure will be second to none. In less than two years Ottawa will be home to the country's most modern terminal and probably one of the top fifteen in North America.

It is truly a testament to what a private sector company - run and governed by local stakeholders - and operating the airport as a public trust can do as opposed to Transport Canada's old monolithic and lethargic, one-size-fits-all management structure.

The facts speak for themselves. In 1996, we had 20 daily direct flights to U.S. destinations. With the pre-customs clearance, this climbed to a peak of 49 daily flights in 2001. With the tech meltdown and post 9/11 effects, this number has decreased to 36, but all indicators point to a steady rebound. Over this same period, landing fees at the airport have gone from some of the highest in Canada to among the lowest.

While the GOCC board toured the site - with its 5,000 tonnes of steel and hundreds of local contractors toiling away - yesterday afternoon, officials from the Ministry of Labour stopped by yesterday morning for an inspection. In short, they were full of accolades. The worksite is very clean. Indeed, and touch wood, after a million hours of labour, not a single day has been lost due to a workplace accident.

>From a materials standpoint, other than some custom made escalators from Spain, almost all labour, steel, concrete, glass, wiring, etc., is locally or regionally supplied. The airport project is accounting for $10 million to $17 million (depending on the month) in monthly construction/trades activity.

Business and once-a-year-travellers alike will benefit from some great improvements. Express check-in for those one-day hops down to Toronto. Intuitive navigation from arrival to baggage pick-up to car rental or grabbing a package, resulting in less signage which is so often confusing and contradictory in larger airports. As well improved restaurant facilities with unobstructed airside views (for travellers and visitors) will augment the travel experience.

But all is not rosy. The feds still ding eight airports (including Ottawa) for $250 million in annual rental payments for the "privilege" of operating infrastructure that it neglected and couldn't run, hence the establishment of airport authorities in the first place. Ottawa's chunk of this bill has shot up to $11 million from just $4 million six years ago.

Transport Canada says it's reviewing the rent issue. But this review is now going on some two years and at this pace Haley's Comet will return before the rent issue is resolved. It's time our local crop of federal apologists (read: Liberal MPs) stood up for their city a change and raised a fuss with the Transport Minister.

Finally, the only thing missing from our facility walk-thru and perusal of artist renderings yesterday was the well-equipped kids play area, similar to Chicago O'Hare's terminal 2. But I'm sure (read: I sincerely hope) it's in the plans