From traveling to medical appointments, getting goods to market, distributing PPE and medical supplies, or delivering vaccines, Canadians rely on safe and well-maintained local airports to support vibrant communities. These airports also provide essential air services, more so during this Covid-19 pandemic, including community resupply, air ambulance, search and rescue, and forest fire response.
Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, today announced that the Government of Canada is providing $19,817,279 through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) towards safety investments at three airports in the territory.
For 2021-2022, Transport Canada has allocated ACAP funding to 63 airports for 86 safety-related projects, including runway and taxiway repairs/rehabilitation, lighting enhancements, purchasing snow clearing equipment and firefighting vehicles and installing wildlife fencing.
Since the Airports Capital Assistance Program started in 1995, the Government of Canada has invested over $1.1 billion for 1,088 projects at 199 airports across the country.
Well-maintained airports help ensure safe airport operations for aircraft, passengers and crews, and help protect costly airport safety assets, such as snow clearing equipment and aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles.
“The airports in Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, and Yellowknife are all critically important for residents and businesses in their communities. These investments will help ensure continued safe and reliable airport operations for residents of the Northwest Territories, many of whom depend on their local airports not only for personal travel and community resupply, but also for access to routine and emergency medical care in larger centres.”
Michael McLeod
Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories
“Our Government recognizes that airports are major contributors to the economic growth and social well-being of smaller communities. In addition to supporting personal travel, local airports are key connectors for business, health care, social services, and emerging resource development sectors. These investments will improve access to safe, reliable and efficient air transportation options, and will help us deliver our promise to build safer, healthier and stronger communities across Canada. This is more important than ever as we reopen our economies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport
“The Northwest Territories’ 27 community airports are critical to the economic and social well-being of our residents. The role airports play in the day-to-day lives of Northerners has been made more apparent through COVID and the recent flooding in the NWT. The Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to building capacity at NWT airports to support safe and efficient travel and enhance business opportunities. The Airport Capital Assistance Program is critical to that commitment.”
The Honourable Diane Archie
Minister of Infrastructure, Government of the Northwest Territories
Quick Facts
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Allison St-Jean
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Minister of Transport
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
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Backgrounder
|
Airport |
Project |
Description |
Amount |
|
Fort Simpson |
Rehabilitate airfield electrical |
Includes replacement of various lighting fixtures for runway, taxiways and apron; replacement of precision approach path indicators and wind cones; replacement of cable and trenching, and the replacement of pull-pits and isolating transformers. This project is based on lifecycle replacement as most of the systems are 20 years old. Replacing the electrical system will provide safer conditions for pilots to land and takeoff. |
$2,762,272 |
|
Fort Smith |
Overlay of airside surfaces |
This project will complete a rehabilitation of runway, taxiways, and aprons. All airside surfaces are over 20 years old and therefore beyond their life cycle. The last pavement condition index revealed several areas that were in poor condition, siting that most of the degradation is linked to age and the severity of weather in the area. |
$15,010,087 |
|
Yellowknife |
Rehabilitate airfield drainage |
The scope of this project includes the replacement of existing airfield drainage culverts, the installation of new culverts, the removal and installation of 5 catch basins, the regrading of existing ditches, and the excavation of new ditches. Addressing these drainage issues will help protect the main airport assets, reduce airport pavement management expenditures, and maintain service levels. |
$2,044,920 |
