Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is preparing to invest $133 million in the refurbishment of its North Runway, ensuring continued resilience, growth, and enhanced connectivity for travelers. Originally opened in 1996, the North Runway will undergo significant upgrades to bolster operational resilience, with work scheduled to commence in spring 2025 and wrap up by fall.

Construction will take place during the existing nightly closure of the North Runway, which operates from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. As a result, YVR anticipates no disruptions to flight schedules or passenger services during this period.

The extensive program will include a complete asphalt overlay for the North Runway and connecting taxiways, alongside improvements to drainage systems and upgrades to electrical and lighting infrastructure.

YVR has chosen Kiewit to handle paving and construction services, while Tristar Electric will manage the lighting and electrical upgrades. DeltaTec, a business owned and operated by the Musqueam, has been selected as a subcontractor to Tristar.

“This program includes important and necessary work for the long-term resilience of our North Runway, which serves millions of travellers and businesses each year. We are pleased to be working with Kiewit, Tristar, and their subcontractors to carry out the program safely and on time,” said Tamara Vrooman, President and CEO of Vancouver International Airport.

The modernization effort is expected to generate an additional 100,000 person-hours of work during construction, resulting in new job opportunities and economic benefits for the region.

“Kiewit, along with Lafarge Canada, is excited to have been selected by YVR to provide construction services for its North Runway Program,” stated Ryan Tones, Senior Vice President at Peter Kiewit Sons ULC. “Our collective long histories of building important infrastructure projects across British Columbia, in addition to our long histories of successful projects at YVR and airports across North America, will serve us well. We look forward to bringing our highly skilled staff and craft workforce and wide network of local suppliers and partners to help ensure we safely deliver this crucial project in the region.”

About YVR
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) serves as a diverse global hub, connecting people, cargo, data, and ideas while fostering community growth. YVR is dedicated to supporting regional economic development and positively impacting the lives of British Columbians through a focus on digital modernization, climate leadership, reconciliation, and financial sustainability.