CALGARY — Calgary International Airport has become the third busiest airport in Canada, stripping the title from Montreal’s Pierre Elliot Trudeau for the first time.

The Calgary Airport Authority reported Wednesday that 14.3 million passengers travelled through YYC in 2013, an increase of 4.9 per cent from 2012 and an all-time record for the airport.

Montreal’s international airport has not formally released its own figures, but a spokesperson told the Herald the airport hosted 14.09 million travellers in 2013.

Fuelled by Alberta’s growing economy, Calgary has been nipping at Montreal’s heels for several years when it comes to airport passenger volumes. In 2012, YYC came close, welcoming 13.6 million passengers compared to Montreal’s 13.8 million.

Calgary Airport Authority spokesperson Jody Moseley said YYC officials are extremely pleased with the 2013 figures.

“We focus on our own growth. It’s not about another airport’s statistics, it’s about how well we’re doing for our passengers and our businesses,” Moseley said.

The figures were welcomed by Calgary Economic Development CEO Bruce Graham, who said the fact that YYC has become the third-busiest airport in Canada is indicative of “an economic shift to the West.”

“What’s really remarkable, when we’re comparing Calgary and Montreal, is Montreal as an economic region has nearly three times the population base of Calgary,” Graham said. “But clearly, the economic activity here in Calgary, the vibrancy of the city, and the fact we’ve got an airport that is an important hub for international travel as well as other western Canadian markets is reflected in these numbers.”

Beyond passenger growth, the past year saw a number of significant developments at the Calgary airport. WestJet and Air Canada both increased their service offerings out of YYC, as did KLM and British Airways.

The Calgary Airport Authority also continues to push ahead with the most ambitious expansion project in its history, the construction of a new runway and international terminal. When the $2 billion expansion is complete, YYC will have double the amount of terminal space, 22 new aircraft gates, and the longest runway in Canada capable of landing the largest aircraft in the world with fewer payload restrictions.

The new runway is set to open in June of this year, while the international terminal has a scheduled opening date of October 2015. In the meantime, the airport authority continues to talk to airlines in an effort to attract new services, particularly flights to meet the growing demand for business and tourist travel to and from Asia.

Right now, Air Canada’s Calgary-Tokyo service remains YYC’s only direct connection to Asia, but the airline has stated it is also exploring the possibility of a Calgary-Beijing flight.

astephenson@calgaryherald.com