OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 6, 2022 /CNW/ – The last few years have underscored the crucial role airports play in supporting essential air services. By ensuring community resupply, air ambulance, search and rescue, and forest fire response, airports contribute to keeping Canadians safe and connected from coast to coast to coast.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is making important safety investments at two Saskatchewan Airports.
Through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program, two airports in Saskatchewan will receive over $1.7 million from the Government of Canada for projects and equipment that will help maintain safe airport operations for passengers, crews, and airport workers. The airports receiving funding are:
La Ronge
- to purchase a loader – $424,990
- to purchase a sweeper – $391,600
- to purchase a 4×4 snowplow – $444,600
Prince Albert
- to purchase a 4×4 snowplow – $420,000
- to purchase material spreader, wet/dry combination – $105,000
The equipment will be used in maintaining aircraft movement surfaces and the removal and control of ice and snow from airside surfaces such as runways, taxiways and the apron.
This funding is in addition to the May 2021 announcement under the program to provide the La Ronge Airport with $110,000 for a material spreader and more than $3.2 million to the Prince Albert Airport for the rehabilitation of airfield electrical systems and for airfield drainage improvements.
Quote
“Airports play a crucial role in keeping Canadians connected across our vast country, and the last two and a half years have only underscored this. Today’s investment of over $1.7 million in the La Ronge and Prince Albert airports is great news for the region’s air sector and for all the communities these airports serve. Investments like these will ensure that our air sector comes out strong as we enter post-pandemic recovery, and help us keep our commitment to building safer, stronger communities.”
The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport
Quick Facts
- As announced in the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the Airports Capital Assistance Program received a one-time funding top-up of $186 million over two years.
- The Fall Economic Statement 2020 also announced the temporary expansion of eligibility for the Airports Capital Assistance Program to allow National Airports System airports with less than one million annual passengers in 2019 to apply for funding under the Program in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
- Since the Airports Capital Assistance Program started in 1995, the Government of Canada has invested over $1.2 billion for 1,215 projects at 199 local, regional and National Airports System airports across the country. Funded projects include runway and taxiway repairs/rehabilitation, lighting enhancements, purchasing snow clearing equipment and firefighting vehicles as well as installing wildlife control fencing.
Associated Link
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca.