BURSTFour Northwest B.C. airports are receiving funding for airport upgrades.
Prince Rupert Airport will receive $3.7 million from the federal government to rehabilitate its airfield lighting. Smithers Regional Airport is getting $3.6 million for airfield electrical equipment. Bella Coola Airport will receive nearly $3.4 million for runway, taxiway and apron rehabilitation while 10.8 million will go to Masset Municipal Airport on Haida Gwaii.
Federal Transport Minister Stephen MacKinnon announced the funding Aug. 26 at Prince Rupert Airport as part of a larger package for six airports across British Columbia.
Also included are Kamloops Airport, which will receive $13 million to upgrade and replace electrical infrastructure and Northern Rockies Regional Airport in Fort Nelson, which will receive $500,000 for runway approach work,
“In a country as vast as ours, airports perform many roles,” MacKinnon said, noting that they connect people, goods and services while supporting regional economies.
The federal government will deliver the funding through its Airport Capital Assistance Program, which supports safety-related infrastructure at eligible regional and remote airports.
The funding is especially welcome for the Prince Rupert Airport Authority, said board member and City of Prince Rupert councillor Wade Niesh.
Running an airport on an island comes with challenges, especially in generating revenue, Niesh said.
The funding will help maintain an airport that is growing more important as major investments continue at the Port of Prince Rupert, he continued.
“Prince Rupert and this region of British Columbia will be an incredibly important, strategically vital region for our country.”
MacKinnon also pointed to Prince Rupert’s location on the North Coast as Canada looks to expand trade with markets beyond the United States.
While the announcement focused on infrastructure, MacKinnon was also asked what the federal government could do to support reliable, sustainable commercial air service.
The federal government has a part in ensuring transportation infrastructure operates safely and reliably while supporting communities as they develop economic opportunities, MacKinnon said.
He did not announce new measures for commercial air service but said he planned to take what he learns during his visit back to Ottawa.
“What I know even before having left the airport terminal is just how important Prince Rupert and this entire region is to our country,” MacKinnon said.