“CORRESPONDENCE”

TO -ee DEV. OFFICE
REC'D sep 18 1278

Fok ACTICN GY
het MANAGER VANIGGUVER CITY FLANNING COMMISSION
[7] ASST. W8GR53 FEST c2TK AVENUE + VANCOUVER, B.C, CANADA + V5Y 1V4
g RES. foe) SR3-7CRt . (604) O73-7477

ATS. .

oo . September 8, 1978.
CJ wee ee

oak SC an 4
Mayar J. 3. Volrich
and Members of City Council
City Hall,
“Yancouver, 3.C.

Dear Mr. Mayor:

Two weeks ago the U.S. Government announced that it would be
negotiating international aircraft landing rights with 25 countries
during the next year. The Azerican government also indicated that
it would take a much more liberal stance regarding the designation
of Arerican cities as destinations for international carriers,
Arong the cities mentioned in this new open policy is Seattle.

The importance of this new policy as a factor of the qualitative
Growth of traffic at Vancouver International Airport should de of
inmediate concern to Vancouver City Council. Whereas simple traffic
volume at Vancouver International Airport may increase, this
quantative growth is less important than new direct international

“ links. For example, a rew connection to The Phillippines would
create subsequent direct line links to innumerable Asian centres --
India, Indonesia, Thailand, gt¢.. by virtue of their connection
with Hanila, This is of significant business anc economic iapor-
tance to Vancouver as Canada's Pacific Rim Gateway.

At present, such few connections as: do exist are through Seattle.
Anarican action in the next year will enhance the stature of Seattle's
International Airport, relecating Vancouver to a decidedly secondary
position. Those countries seeking access to the northwestern sector
of the continent are unlikely to be interested in two destinations so
close together.

Given the manner in which the Federal Government has handled the .
development of the Port of Vancouver; (Vancouver is able to handle
$9,000 containers in a year as oppcsed to the Port of Seattle which
handled 551,009 containers in 1977 and is expecting to handle
624,000 this year; much of this destined for Canada,)it ‘is the
Planning Commission's feeling that City Council wil} want to avoid
the potential mismanagement and Crippling of a second major segment
of the transportation linkage between Vancouver and the rest of the
world.

weed

: . 2.

The Conmission believes that City Counci] can bring this natter to
the attention of both senior governrents and the public.

The Vancouver City Planning Comission duly notes the following points
which, owing to the immediacy of Arerican action, must be addressed
and defined by our own federal authorities:

1. The qualitative ard qQuantative aspects of orewth in traffic
at Vancouver International Airport;

2. The rising status of Calgary over Vancouver as a cajor
western Canadian centre of Air Canada operations:

i) the new Canada - U.S.A. air routes assigned to
Air Canada over CP Air - San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Denver and Chicago,

the Air Canada decision to run these flights out of
Calcary,

the superior facilities at Calgary International
Airport. .
The feceral policy which prejudices the growth of Vancouver -
based CP Air in favour of the federal carrier - Air Canada;

The loss of Pacific Western Airlines’ headquarters to Calsary;
subsequent loss of jebs irrespective of pronises;

The fact that NO EUROPEAN AIRLINES LAND AT VANCOUVER
INTERNATIONAL! ;

i) British Atrways presently requesting landing rights
at Vancouver but receiving uninterested and non-comnittal .
response from governnent,

ii) British Airways also seexing landing rights at Seattie-
Tacoma,

Vii) government protectionism of the Air Canada monopoly on
the Yancouver/London route desirable for Air Canada,
detrimental to Vancouver; s

Lack of initiative in developing air links between Yancouver and

the countries of the Pacific Rim; :

i) The Philippines, major business destination in the Grient,
Canadian businessrén presently flying via Northvest/Orient
Airlines out of Seattle; Philippine Airlines is seeking a.
northwest destination,

China trade now opening and important western businass