Edmonton airport seeks role in Canada’s defence strategy

The organization that runs Edmonton International Airport is lobbying federal and provincial officials about defence and economic development as Ottawa increases military spending. According to lobbying records, the airport authority hired three lobbyists in March to explore how its operations could align with Canada’s defence industrial strategy and how it might access existing funding programs. Airport spokesperson Justin Draper said defence and security are an important opportunity for the region and argued that planned national spending will require coordinated infrastructure, logistics and workforce readiness. The airport is also part of the Edmonton Region Defence Alliance, a coalition formed earlier this year to attract defencerelated investment and jobs to the region. Experts interviewed by CBC said the airport is already well positioned as a military logistics hub because of its location, available space and access to northern routes. They said additional defence traffic could strengthen the airport’s role in freight and passenger operations while supporting broader economic growth in the Edmonton area.