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AT A GLANCE
LINKING TO LETHBRIDGE
With a population that’s creeping close to 105,000, Lethbridge is Alberta’s fourth-largest city, and a major hub for the southern region of the province.
Improving air links to Lethbridge has been a priority for years. Thanks to $2.6 million from the City of Lethbridge and a combined $23 million investment from the Canadian and Alberta governments, the airport is currently undergoing a major renovation.
Runways have been repaved, baggage carousels have been upgraded, and new landing lights — up to the latest standards — have
been installed. A taxiway has been extended to better facilitate increased air traffic.
“As we work towards recovery, investments in our local and regional airports continue to be crucial to maintain safety, security, and con- nectivity for travellers, workers and communities,” said Omar Alghabra, Canada’s federal minister of transport when the funding was confirmed. “The funding provided to the Lethbridge Airport will improve access to safe, reliable and efficient air transportation options, and will help us deliver on our commitment to build safer, healthier and stronger communities.”
Canadian Conditions Point to Hydrogen
In August, the Alberta government announced that $50 million in new funding was available to companies working on new hydrogen technologies. Alberta continues to invest in hydrogen, as global economists see this as a sector that could generate $2.5-$11 trillion USD in impact by 2050.
But, Albertans are also leading the way when it comes to the practical uses of hydrogen as a green alternative to traditional combustion power — and even electrical power, which has proven to be unreliable in frigid winter climates. The charges in electrical buses, for example, don’t last as long on cold winter days.
The Edmonton International Airport was the first airport in the world to agree to
The Climate Pledge, committing to be carbon-neutral by 2040. To do that, the airport is planning to install a commercial hydrogen fueling station, in partnership with California’s FirstElement Fuel.
The airport is committed to purchasing 100 hydrogen-powered service vehicles from Toyota and is partnering with Canadian manufacturer, Letenda, to add hydrogen-powered shuttle buses to its fleet.
But the airport is just one player of many. The Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA), the industry group for the province’s trucking industry, is testing two Canadian- built hydrogen-cell vehicles. It’s called the Alberta Zero Emissions Truck Electrification Collaboration (AZETEC) project — which will operate between Edmonton and Calgary — and the plan is to see how the hydrogen-powered truck handles Canadian driving conditions, under full loads.
“We’re looking at how they drive in the winter, how they will drive in the summer. It’s so the industry can be aware of the different technologies out there,” said Trevor Van Egmond, AMTA’s senior manager of industry advancement.
14.5 MILLION Annual number of passengers that
use the Calgary International Airport
5.85 MILLION Annual number of passengers
that use the Edmonton International Airport
$7.3 BILLION
Allocated to priority infrastructure projects by the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors over three years
13,000
Jobs were created across the province by Alberta’s investment in road construction projects
$206.42 BILLION Value of Alberta exports of all products to
all markets
>31,400 KM Of highways in the province
ALBERTA’S EXPORTS BY MODE OF TRANSPORTATION ($ MILLIONS CAD)
82 INVEST IN ALBERTA 2 0 2 4
EDAAlberta.ca
Road
10,259
Intermodal (Rail & Marine) 32,350
Sources: Statistics Canada, Government of Alberta, Edmonton International Airport, Calgary International Airport
Air 2,094
BY THE NUMBERS