THUNDER BAY - Speaking at the Best Western Plus NorWester Hotel on Thursday, Howard Eng set the tone with a simple question.
“I’m from Toronto, how can I help?” he asked.
Originally from Hong Kong, Eng -- the CEO of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority -- then told the story of the first time he drove through Thunder Bay when he was 14, on the way to see the 1967 Montreal Expo.
The well travelled businessman is on the verge of retirement, but wanted to visit Thunder Bay, where he was the featured speaker at a Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission conference outlining Pearson’s long-term plan and how Thunder Bay fits into it.
“There are changes in the aviation world, and I think there’s opportunity for Thunder Bay to prosper,” he said.
“Opportunity is there. I’m not here to tell you what and how, I think it’s up to the local community to define what it is they want to market. To be an hour-and-a-half from the fifth-most connected airport in the world, that gives you opportunity.”
Aside from Pearson being one of the most common travel destinations for locals, maintaining a strong relationship with Pearson is in the best interest of Thunder Bay’s airport from an international perspective.
International students, mine workers in the region, and health-care connections all rely on the airport for global travel, with Thunder Bay being the start, or end point.
Eng believes Pearson has the opportunity to be one of the world’s mega-hubs, and Thunder Bay can act as the gateway to the Northwest.
“It’s playing a role today already. It helps bring traffic to Pearson, and helps us create this international network,” he said.
During his visit he spent time at the airport, visited the Terry Fox lookout, and also visited the Bombardier plant to get an understanding of the area.
Charla Robinson, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said the connection is essential to the local economy.
“The Pearson connection is very important for us, so we want to make sure we’re raising the profile of Thunder Bay in the eyes of the decision-makers in Toronto.”
