Terry Fox International Airport? Vancouver mayoral candidate proposes YVR renaming | Daily Hive

Vancouver International Airport (left) and the Terry Fox memorial statues at Terry Fox Plaza in Downtown Vancouver (right). (Vadim Gouida/Shutterstock | meunierd/Shutterstock)

Vancouver Liberals mayoral candidate Kareem Allam is proposing that Vancouver International Airport (YVR) be renamed in honour of Terry Fox, saying the local Canadian icon represents the values and spirit of British Columbia.

In a video statement on Tuesday, Allam announced that, if elected as Vancouver’s mayor in the October 2026 civic election, he would advocate for Vancouver International Airport — Canada’s second busiest airport — to be renamed “Terry Fox International Airport.”

“Today, I’m announcing if I’m elected mayor, I’m going to want to rename this great airport Terry Fox International,” said Allam.

“I want to name this airport after the greatest British Columbian, in my opinion, that ever lived, who embodies the best spirit of this region, of this province, and of this country.”

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Terry Fox was a Canadian athlete and cancer research advocate whose 1980 Marathon of Hope captured the country’s imagination after he set out to run across Canada on a prosthetic leg, following the amputation of his right leg due to bone cancer.

Although his run ended near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when it was apparent that his cancer had returned, Fox raised millions of dollars for cancer research and became a symbol of resiliency and selflessness. He died shortly after at the age of 22, but his legacy endures through the annual Terry Fox Run — held in dozens of countries around the world — and through the fundraising efforts for cancer research in his name for more than four decades.

In early 2026, the Terry Fox Foundation announced the milestone of surpassing $1 billion raised cumulatively since the 1980s. Over the past four decades, supporters of the foundation have funded more than 1,300 cancer research projects and life-saving scientific advancements.

The 2001-installed statue of Terry Fox at the SFU Burnaby campus. (SFU)

Allam acknowledged that the mayor of Vancouver does not have the authority to rename the airport, which is independently operated and governed by the Vancouver Airport Authority.

However, Allam said a Vancouver mayor could use influence and appointments to advance the proposal. The airport authority’s board of directors reserves one seat for a representative appointed by the City of Vancouver. Currently, the City’s representative on the board is Corey Sue, a business and finance leader in the tech startup sector.

Allam added that he would raise the issue with the provincial and federal governments and airport leadership.

“Now you might be asking me, Kareem, if you become mayor, you do not have the power to rename this airport Terry Fox International, and you’re right, I don’t,” he said.

“But I do have some levers of power available at my disposal if I’m mayor. Number one, I get to appoint someone to the YVR board that will advocate to rename this airport Terry Fox International. I’ll be meeting with the prime minister, the premier, the CEO of this airport, and every opportunity I get, I’ll be advocating for them.”

He also encouraged public support for the initiative.

“You also have an important role in this exercise too, which is to get behind this initiative, to rename this beautiful building after our greatest British Columbian, Terry Fox,” he added.

Terry Fox Plaza outside BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver. (Todamo/Shutterstock)

When asked to react to Allam’s push, the airport authority told Daily Hive Urbanized it has received similar suggestions in the past regarding renaming the airport after notable B.C. residents, including Terry Fox and Rick Hansen. They did not specifically indicate whether they would consider this latest name change attempt.

“YVR occasionally receives suggestions from members of the public about the potential to rename Vancouver International Airport in honour of notable British Columbians such as Terry Fox or Rick Hansen,” the airport authority told Daily Hive Urbanized.

“We are also mindful of our location and partnership with Musqueam. Our focus remains on operating a safe, efficient, and world-class airport that serves our community, connects British Columbia and Canada to the world, and supports the movement of people and goods. We appreciate the perspectives shared with us and remain committed to recognizing the many contributions that have helped shape our region.”

The idea is welcomed by Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West, who has frequently celebrated Fox’s legacy during his time in office. Fox has strong ties to Port Coquitlam, his hometown, and is often regarded as the city’s most famous resident.

In response to an inquiry by Daily Hive Urbanized, West said the proposal is worth considering, but added that it would be important to seek input from Fox’s family.

“I’m very supportive of finding meaningful ways to honour Terry Fox and keep his legacy alive for future generations. Terry is not only Port Coquitlam’s hometown hero, he is one of the most inspiring Canadians in our country’s history. More than four decades later, his courage, determination, and selflessness continue to unite Canadians from all walks of life,” West told Daily Hive Urbanized.

“The idea of naming YVR after Terry deserves consideration, and I can understand why many people would support it. Airports are often named after individuals whose contributions helped define a country, and there is no question that Terry’s impact extends far beyond our community and province. I do believe an important step would be consultation with Terry’s family.”

Daily Hive Urbanized has also reached out to the Terry Fox Foundation for comment on this idea.

Port Coquitlam unveiled “Gateway of Giants,” a new sculpture honouring hometown hero Terry Fox, on Sept. 13, 2025. (handleletteredlovebybev/Instagram | terryfoxfoundation/Instagram)

Just over a decade and a half ago, there was a vocal grassroots push to rename YVR after Fox, complete with a campaign website, Facebook page, and online petition.

According to a report by the Vancouver Courier in 2010, that advocacy gained the support of several high-profile figures, including former Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen, who sat on the airport authority’s board of directors and said he would discuss the idea with the organization’s leadership, and longtime Vancouver Centre MP Hedy Fry, who tabled a motion in the House of Commons to have the airport renamed after Fox.

Under the Canada Airports Act, an airport authority or any other local entity cannot change the name of its airport without the permission of the federal government through the Minister of Transport.

Fry’s motion, which read, “That, in the opinion of the House, the government should change the name of Vancouver International Airport to Vancouver-Terry Fox International Airport,” was first placed on notice in 2011 and reinstated in 2013.

Several major Canadian airports are named after prominent public figures, including Toronto Pearson International Airport, named after former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson; Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, named after former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau; and Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, which honours former Prime Ministers John A. Macdonald and George-Etienne Cartier.

However, many airports in Canada and around the world use purely geographic names tied to their cities or regions — a simplified branding approach that emphasizes location recognition, tourism marketing, and ease of identification for travellers.

In the past, supporters of geographic naming often argued that airport names serve as global gateways and wayfinding tools, while proponents of commemorative naming see them as opportunities to honour individuals whose contributions have shaped a community, province, or country.

Across Canada, numerous buildings, schools, landmarks, and public spaces have already been named in honour of Fox. Examples include Terry Fox Plaza outside BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, Terry Fox Station in Ottawa, the Terry Fox Courage Highway in Ontario, SFU Stadium at Terry Fox Field at Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby Mountain campus, Terry Fox Secondary School, Terry Fox Theatre, and Terry Fox Library in Port Coquitlam.

The Vancouver Liberals are also proposing to amalgamate the University Endowment Lands with the City of Vancouver, and revive the Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s cancelled Gastown waterfront railyard stadium concept to help save the team from leaving the city. They are fielding candidates for Vancouver City Council, Vancouver Park Board, and Vancouver School Board. Allam, a political strategist, was the campaign manager for Mayor Sim and ABC’s 2022 civic election campaign and Kevin Falcon’s BC Liberals leadership race. Allam was also briefly the chief of staff for Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s office.

It should be strongly emphasized that the Vancouver Liberals are not affiliated in any way with the provincial and federal parties of the same name.

What are your thoughts on renaming Vancouver International Airport after Terry Fox? Let us know in the comments below and/or email us at vancouver[at]dailyhive.com.

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