Montréal, February 21, 2019 – The Trudeau government has been considering privatizing the eight largest airports in the national network since a report was tabled on the future of transportation in Canada, but the idea has not received unanimous approval. While it is certainly attractive in terms of public finances, the prospect has been strongly criticized by different stakeholders, from airlines worried about seeing user fees increase to certain airport authorities who see no benefits for the country. The Centre for Productivity and Prosperity – Walter J. Somers Foundation, wishing to shed more light on this question, has now released a study on the potential impact of this change for Canada. The Centre unhesitatingly concludes that privatizing Canadian airports would not lead to any significant productivity gains.

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