Porter Aviation Holdings is entering into a partnership with Montréal Saint-Hubert Airport (YHU) to develop a new terminal capable of serving more than four million passengers annually. Construction of the 21,000-square-metre facility (225,000 square feet), holding nine bridged aircraft gates. is scheduled to begin in mid-2023 with completion expected by late 2024.

Porter estimates its investment in YHU will result in more than 500 permanent jobs, including full-time positions within terminal and airline operations, and the establishment of a new pilot and flight attendant crew base.

The new YHU terminal, being designed by Scott Associates Architects as a net-zero facility, will provide Porter Airlines with a second airport to serve the Montréal market. Porter plans to continue expanding its existing operations at Montréal’s Trudeau Airport (YUL), while also introducing a Canada-wide network at YHU airport, located about a 40-minute drive away (38 km).

Porter notes more than 10 potential YHU routes have been initially identified, spanning from Vancouver, BC, in the west to St. John’s, NL, in the east. The airline also intends to connect YHU with both of its Toronto hubs at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Routes will be served with a combination of 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 and 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.

Porter explains the YHU terminal development is modelled after the successful revitalization of Billy Bishop that the airline has been a part of for the last 17 years. Porter states its commitment to YTZ was the catalyst for route developments and infrastructure investments that led to the airport serving nearly three million passengers annually, across more than 20 routes and producing $3 billion of annual economic impact.

(Image: Porter Aviation Holdings)