Prince Albert Airport. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

Federal Funding

Prairie airports to receive funding from federal government

Aug 5, 2021 | 11:00 AM

A few airports along the prairies will be receiving funding from the federal government to overcome challenges that were brought on by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than $4 million will be provided to seven different airports. Two airports qualified for the funding in Saskatchewan, the airport in La Ronge and the Prince Albert airport. These two airports will both receive up to $300,000.

Airports in Lethbridge, Alta., Medicine Hat, Alta., Fort McMurray, Alta., High Level, Alta., and The Pas, Man. will also receive funding.

Funding for seven different airports across the prairies. (Government of Canada)

The Government of Canada launched a new program in March called the Regional Air Transportation Initiative, (RATI). It fosters access to air transportation and supports regional ecosystems.

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In particular, the program enables regional air carriers and airports to remain operational in difficult times and to continue contributing to regional economic growth, while adapting to new post COVID-19 realities and requirements.

The funding will go towards many new upgrades at the Prince Albert airport including new lights, upgrades to the runways, and a new backup generator to keep the emergency operational center operational during a power outage, Corey Nygaard the manager of the airport told paNOW.

“It’s going towards a reduced visibility operation plan and some related lighting,” Nygaard said. “It’ll be about four lights that flash.

“It will pay for a snowblower to blow off traces of snow from our lights and it will go towards painting all the lines on our runways and taxiways.”

Nygaard said the funding will be a benefit to operating expenses and will lessen the burden on local tax payers.

“RATI provided an opportunity to cut down our operating expenses,” Nygaard said. “That’s important, especially during COVID when revenues were decreased due to slower passenger traffic. It definitely decreases the burden on the taxpayers to keep the airport maintained.

“These things were going to have to happen anyways to keep the airport up to standard. Now its just transferring the burden off to Canada versus a smaller tax base of Prince Albert.”

A statement regarding the funding was provided in a news release by the Mayor of La Ronge, Colin Ratushniak.

“The Town of La Ronge is very appreciative for the $300,000 investment from the federal government in the La Ronge airport,” Ratushniak said in the release. “The investment will not only help a critical asset in our region economy recover from COVID, it will help improve the competitiveness of our airport and speed up the recovery timelines. On behalf of council, we are very thankful for the investment.”

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Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @dawsonthompson8