Ready for take-off: Commissioning of the North Runway

Upgrading the North Runway was about more than paving – the North Runway Program strengthened one of YVR’s critical pieces of infrastructure to ensure resilient operations for years to come. 

Throughout 2025, the North Runway Program team delivered major upgrades to lighting, drainage and electrical systems, and paved a 210mm asphalt overlay, all while keeping the runway operational during the day by performing work during the runway’s existing eight-hour nightly closure period. With the North Runway returning to full service levels as planned in October, we’re looking back on our final stage of the program – commissioning.  

While paving marked a major milestone in the program, with over 130,000 work hours, the activity did not stop there. In the fifth and final installment of our North Runway video series, follow along the busiest phase of the program – testing and commissioning the runway back to full service. 

Commissioning was the final step of the North Runway Program to ensure all systems are performing as required, from lighting to navigational aids for pilots, before the runway can return to full CAT II/III service. A full level of service ensures the runway can support safe and reliable operations in all weather conditions to meet the needs of our community and the economy that supports it. 

In this episode, YVR team members cover what’s involved in commissioning activities. Our partners at Associated Engineering and KPMG also talk about their roles, and how their expertise ensured that the program was delivered as planned.  

Visit the Major Projects page of our Newsroom to explore the full video series and learn more about how we delivered this important program: news.yvr.ca/north-runway-modernization-program.