UNLOCKING the POTENTIAL of the AIRPORT MEGAZONE Pamela Blais October 2016 a Neptis Policy Brief
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UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF THE AIRPORT MEGAZONE Pamela Blais October 2016 A Neptis Policy Brief Planning for Prosperity: Globalization, Competitiveness, and the Growth Plan for 1 The Basics ∙ p2 the Greater Golden Horseshoe was released by the Neptis Foundation in late 2 Employment Types ∙ p3 2015. This research report was intended to contribute to the Province of 3 Employment Change ∙ p6 Ontario’s Coordinated Review of the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden 4 Employment Geography ∙ p7 Horseshoe, Greenbelt Plan, Oak Ridges Moraine Plan, and Niagara Escarpment 5 Development Potential ∙ p9 Plan. The report described the changing economy and economic landscape of 6 Economic Assets ∙ p11 the Greater Golden Horseshoe, identifying important considerations for the 7 Travel, Transportation Growth Plan. Patterns, and Transit Use ∙ p12 8 Conclusions ∙ p15 In particular, Planning for Prosperity identifed three major regional employment 9 Appendix ∙ p16 “megazones.” These are large, economically signifcant employment areas that represent major sources of auto travel and traffc congestion, as well as green- house gas emissions. The megazones were not recognized in nor addressed by the Growth Plan. Because they extend across municipal boundaries, planning for them has been fragmented at best. Planning for Prosperity stressed the need to integrate land use planning, transportation planning, and economic development strategies in planning for employment. This integrated approach is not common in the GGH. Given the importance of these megazones to the regional, provincial, and national economies, and their potential role in achieving key Growth Plan objectives, Neptis commissioned additional research on these areas to support integrated planning and policy development. This policy brief profles the Airport megazone. Companion policy briefs will profle the other two megazones: Tor-York East and Tor-York West. In particular, this brief is intended to inform future planning by providing more detailed data and information on: The local employment geography Types of employment in the megazone The potential of the area in terms of accommodating additional development and densifcation, supporting transit investments, and building upon economic assets Key characteristics of travel to the megazone 1 AIRPORT MEGAZONE | NEPTIS outside the region.3 There were 1 245,180 core jobs in the megazone in 2011, a net increase of 10,660 THE BASICS core jobs since 2001. While core employment in the megazone grew between 2001 and 2011, the GGH as a whole experienced a net loss of 3,110 core jobs, largely due to deindustrialization; the manufacturing sector alone lost 183,925 jobs in this The Airport Megazone (AMZ) covers period. Much of the region’s growth LOCATION OF THE AMZ IN THE GREATER GOLDEN HORSESHOE 15,230 hectares surrounding and since 2001 has been in non-core (that including Pearson International is, population-related) sectors, which Airport. This area, about six times as grew by 76,640 jobs. (See Table 1 in large as downtown Toronto, contained the Appendix.) 297,9901 jobs in 2011. By our estimation,2 that makes the AMZ the second-most signifcant employment concentration in the country, after downtown Toronto, with 464,650 jobs. There is relatively little residential development in the area, due in part to airport-related development restrictions – about 67,000 people lived in the area in 2011. The Airport Megazone spans four jurisdictions: the cities of Mississauga, Brampton, and Toronto, and the Region of Peel. It is also subject to planning by the Greater Toronto AREA OF THE AMZ Airports Authority. Given this jurisdic- tional fragmentation, the AMZ has not been recognized nor planned for as the signifcant economic and urban centre that it is. Employment in the district has been growing, increasing by 22,550 jobs between 2001 and 2011. This represents 7% of the growth in jobs across the entire Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) during that period. Most of the jobs found in the mega- zone are in “core” employment – that is, employment in tradeable goods and services that drive the regional economy and bring in revenues from 1 Unless otherwise noted, all employment numbers quoted in this brief represent employment with a usual place of work only – jobs without a 2 usual place of work and home-based jobs are not included. The data are drawn from the Census of Canada place of work data. 2 Planning for Prosperity, p. 42. AIRPORT MEGAZONE | NEPTIS 3 outside the region. There were AMZ EMPLOYMENT CORE EMPLOYMENT CHANGE 1 245,180 core jobs in the megazone in 2011, a net increase of 10,660 +11,000 *2001−2011 THE BASICS core jobs since 2001. While core 298,000 employment in the megazone grew 245,000 between 2001 and 2011, the GGH *Rest of GGH as a whole experienced a net loss of -3,000 3,110 core jobs, largely due to deindustrialization; the manufacturing Total Core AMZ GGH sector alone lost 183,925 jobs in this The Airport Megazone (AMZ) covers period. Much of the region’s growth 15,230 hectares surrounding and since 2001 has been in non-core (that including Pearson International is, population-related) sectors, which Airport. This area, about six times as grew by 76,640 jobs. (See Table 1 in large as downtown Toronto, contained the Appendix.) 297,9901 jobs in 2011. By our estimation,2 that makes the AMZ the second-most signifcant employment concentration in the country, after downtown Toronto, with 464,650 jobs. There is relatively little residential development in the area, due in part AMZ 2011 EMPLOYMENT 2 to airport-related development restrictions – about 67,000 people TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT AMZ share lived in the area in 2011. of GGH The Airport Megazone spans four jurisdictions: the cities of Mississauga, 80,000 Brampton, and Toronto, and the Region of Peel. It is also subject to planning by the Greater Toronto 60,000 “Core” employment accounts for 82% representing 13% and 26% of the 78,560 jobs in this sector are in transportation includes 10,140 jobs in Among fnance and business services This category includes back-offce uses Airports Authority. Given this jurisdic- of jobs in the Airport Megazone. This region’s employment in each sector). manufacturing. Key manufacturing air transportation, such as air carriers, employment, key industries include such as employment services, security tional fragmentation, the AMZ has not compares to 62% for the Greater sectors include food; plastics and and an additional 12,825 jobs in commercial and personal banking and services, and business support services been recognized nor planned for as 40,000 Golden Horseshoe as a whole, Indeed, the AMZ shows a regional rubber products; fabricated metal; transportation support activities related activities (e.g., brokerages), such as call centres. the signifcant economic and urban suggesting that the AMZ is relatively specialization in these sectors. machinery; and transportation (including airport operations, air traffc representing almost 8,000 jobs, while centre that it is. concentrated in core, tradeable Whereas manufacturing, construction, equipment. This latter category control, aircraft maintenance, etc.). an additional 2,395 jobs are in Lastly, the AMZ contains many hotels 20,000 activities. Employment by planning and utilities employment represents represents 9,955 jobs and includes There are also 9,755 jobs in truck insurance-related activities. The AMZ and convention centres, representing Employment in the district has been category and sector4 is shown in Table 17.2% of all jobs for the Greater aircraft and related manufacturing, transportation in the AMZ. also includes almost 10,000 telecom- 3,155 jobs in accommodation growing, increasing by 22,550 jobs 2 in the Appendix. Golden Horseshoe as a whole, in the such as Pratt and Whitney and munications jobs, with major facilities services. between 2001 and 2011. This 0 AMZ it represents 26.4% of all jobs. Magellan Aerospace. In addition, the AMZ includes region- for operators such as Rogers and Bell represents 7% of the growth in jobs The data indicate signifcant numbers Similarly, warehousing and transporta- ally signifcant employment numbers in in the district. Utilities Related - across the entire Greater Golden n of jobs in the manufacturing, construc- tion employment accounts for 9.5% of The warehousing and transportation fnance and business services – Government Laboratories Finance and ransportation ehousing and and Hospitals Voluntary and T r Manufacturing, Horseshoe (GGH) during that period. a tion, and utilities sector, as well as in all jobs in the region, but 29.4% of sector comprises 38,220 jobs in 60,335 jobs. There are more jobs in On the business services side, Construction and Business Services Higher Education Broadcasting and W Populatio Culture and Tourism the warehousing and transportation jobs in the AMZ. wholesale trade; 34,550 in transporta- fnance and business services in the architectural engineering and related Most of the jobs found in the mega- sector. For these two sector groupings, tion; 5,750 in warehousing and AMZ than the total number of jobs in activities account for 4,265 jobs in the Institu- Special- Industrial Offce Services zone are in “core” employment – that tional ized the Airport Megazone likely represents The lion’s share of employment in the storage; and 9,020 in postal and the North York City Centre AMZ, and computer systems design is, employment in tradeable goods the largest concentration of employ- manufacturing, construction, and courier services. Many of these jobs (approximately 38,000). represents 5,900 jobs. Also signifcant and services that drive the regional Non- ment in the GGH (approximately utilities sector is found in the manufac- are linked directly or indirectly to are administrative and support Core Core economy and bring in revenues from 79,000 and 88,000 jobs respectively, turing industries – 64,580 (82%) of the Pearson Airport. For example, services, representing 14,685 jobs.