A Journey to Home
A wise man once said, "She took the midnight train going anywhere".
Canadian cities are multicultural epicentres promoting cultural diversity. Our communities are places where people call home, building connections, relationships and dreams. Every day, we take short journeys by walking, driving or transit to see the people we care about most. However, many people have a second home. For some, going "home" is a much longer and rarer journey where one must fly.
As I fly across the Rockies with my airpods in my ear, "going on and on and on.." the question hits me. How do I get home when I land? I imagine "strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard with their shadows searching through the night." Searching in arrivals for taxis, Ubers and personal rides to pick them up. But where is transit?
In the terminal, I see hugs and smiles of a family reuniting. I hear sounds of laughter from visitors, embracing the city for the first time. I smell suitcases from the baggage carousel; people are moving here. And I am back home. Airports are a city's entry point from the outside. Welcoming people to our home. Or are we?
Due to the convoluted economics of airport transit, many Canadian cities have slow and infrequent airport transit services. In 2017, Edmonton struggled to keep its service afloat as low demands and high costs made it financially infeasible, resulting in a one-way fare of $10. Out of the 21 major airports in Canada, only YYZ (Toronto) and YVR (Vancouver) Airports have a rail connection to the downtown core. However airport transit can be successful in Canada. Despite only opening in 2009, a 2019 study found that 21% of all YVR airport users took the Canada Line. This number increases to 29% when shuttle buses and coaches are included. Even then, YVR falls behind European airports such as London and Amsterdam, which have 33% and 40%, respectively. Nonetheless, taking the Canada Line is significantly cheaper and on par, if not faster, than taking other modes of transportation. The 6 minute frequencies add to the enticing factor. In Montreal, over 1.5 million people use the 747 Airport bus service every year. The service connects the airport to interchange metro stations such as Lionel Groux and Berri UQAM Stations, making it attractive for people going downtown and beyond.
Advocacy for adequate airport transit has been an ongoing discussion for many years. Recently, Calgary and Edmonton finally began preliminary studies on possible rail connections to their airports. As someone who takes the rather uninspiring once-per-hour route 747 bus in Edmonton, I find this exciting news to prosper. While I'm not expecting every major Canadian city to build an airport transit rail connection, more frequent and faster service is essential to give airport workers, tourists and local citizens a reliable option to continue their journey. Vancouver and Montreal are successful examples of airport transit connections in Canada with fast, frequent service and well-integrated with the existing transit system.
I am now waiting for my train at YVR Airport on the Canada Line platform, listening to the lyrics "Don't stop Believin; hold onto that feeling." Maybe one day, the lonely small-town girl and the city boy from South Detroit will fly into Edmonton and take a midnight train, just like me. On a journey. Back Home.
-Written by Mikoto Ikenaga