No. H008/06
For release March 27, 2006
OTTAWA — Airports across Canada will receive more than $27 million to fund 41
new projects to enhance their safety.
Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities today
announced this funding under the Government of Canada's 2006-07 Airports Capital
Assistance Program.
"Safety and security are Transport Canada's top priorities," said Mr. Cannon.
"These projects will further enhance the safety of Canadians and the economic
potential of the airports."
Established in 1995 and renewed for five years in April 2005, the Airports
Capital Assistance Program helps eligible airports by financing capital projects
related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. In order to be
eligible for funding consideration, an airport must have year round, regularly
scheduled passenger service, meet Transport Canada airport certification
requirements and not be owned or operated by the Government of Canada.
The program is an integral part of the National Airports Policy, which
provides Canadians with a comprehensive framework that clearly defines the
Government of Canada's role regarding airports.
Since April 1, 1995, funding from the program totals more than $379 million
for 480 projects at 154 airports. Over 99 per cent of these were airside
safety-related projects such as the rehabilitation of runways, taxiways, visual
aids and heavy airside mobile equipment.
Federal funding for these projects is provided for in the existing financial
framework.
Backgrounders on the Airports Capital Assistance Program
and the selected projects are attached.
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Contact:
Robin Browne
Communications
Transport Canada, Ottawa
(613) 993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at apps.tc.gc.ca/listserv/ and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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BACKGROUNDER
AIRPORTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Airports Capital Assistance Program provides funding to eligible airports
to finance capital projects related to safety, asset protection and operating
cost reduction. To be eligible, an airport must receive year-round regularly
scheduled passenger service, meet Transport Canada airport certification
requirements and not be owned by the Government of Canada.
Funding available under the program is set at $190 million, to be allocated
from April 2005 to March 2010, at an average of $38 million per year.
Contributions are considered for the following types of projects:
First priority projects include safety-related airside
projects, such as rehabilitation of runways, taxiways, aprons, lighting and
other utilities, visual aids and sand storage sheds. This category also includes
related site preparation and environmental costs, aircraft firefighting vehicles
and ancillary equipment and equipment shelters that are necessary to maintain
the required level of protection.
Second priority projects include safety-related airside
mobile equipment, such as runway snowblowers, runway snowplows, runway sweepers,
spreaders and decelerometers (winter friction testing devices), and heavy airside
mobile equipment shelters.
Third priority projects include safety-related air terminal
building and groundside projects, such as sprinkler systems, asbestos removal and
barrier-free access.
Fourth priority projects include asset protection and
refurbishing, operating cost reduction related to air terminal building or
groundside access.
Priority for funding will also be established by Transport Canada on the basis
of a detailed technical analysis of a facility's condition and maintenance
history, airport traffic and certification requirements.
To be eligible, projects must maintain or improve safety levels, protect airport
assets or significantly reduce operating costs. Projects must also meet accepted
engineering practices and be justified on the basis of current demand. Airport
facility expansion projects will only be considered if the current facilities have
a potentially negative impact on safety at the airport.
Transport Canada's first priority is safety. Through the Airports Capital
Assistance Program, the Government of Canada is helping to enhance not only airport
safety, but also the economic viability of this important aspect of Canada's
transportation infrastructure.
The Airports Capital Assistance Program is part of the National Airports Policy,
which was introduced in July 1994 and calls for the commercialization of designated
Canadian airports, through divestiture to community interests. The policy enables
communities to take greater advantage of their airports, reduce costs, tailor
levels of service to local demand, and attract new and different types of business.
March 2006
BACKGROUNDER
ALLOCATION FOR 2006-2007 FORAIRPORTS
CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROJECTS
Province
Airport
Project
Total Allocation
Allocation 2006-2007
Allocation 2007-2008
Alberta
Edmonton
New airfield lighting control system
$166,982
$166,982
Alberta
Fort McMurray
Apron expansion
$1,504,623
$1,504,623
Alberta
Grande Prairie
Taxiway A rehabilitation
$3,194,848
$3,194,848
Alberta
Lethbridge
Taxiway B rehabilitation
$806,581
$806,581
Alberta
Medicine Hat
Apron rehabilitation
$406,109
$406,109
British Columbia
Castlegar
Runway 15-33 rehabilitation
$2,741,700
$2,741,700
British Columbia
Dawson Creek
Sand storage shed addition
$280,670
$280,670
British Columbia
Fort St. John
Replacement of self-propelled snowblower
$473,500
$473,500
British Columbia
Nanaimo
Loader/snowblower
$237,200
$237,200
British Columbia
Smithers
One 19 foot reversible plow
$33,220
$33,220
British Columbia
Terrace
Snowplow truck
$232,628
$232,628
Manitoba
Bloodvein
Replacement of loader and grader
$366,500
$366,500
Manitoba
Gillam
Aggregate stockpile
$1,150,105
$1,150,105
Manitoba
Little Grand Rapids
Replacement of loader and plow truck
$287,500
$287,500
Manitoba
St. Andrews
Replacement of snowplow blade
$19,395
$19,395
Manitoba
Thompson
Runway 23 VASIS to PAPI upgrade
$84,555
$84,555
Newfound-land and Labrador
Deer Lake
Sand/urea storage facility
$160,161
$160,161
Newfound-land and Labrador
Stephenville
Sand storage facility
$290,000
$290,000
Nova Scotia
Sydney
Barrier free washrooms
Replacement of three wind direction indicator towers
Replacement of selected ATB apron concrete panels
$99,000
$13,365
$178,200
$99,000
$13,365
$178,200
Nunavut
Chesterfield Inlet
Crushing and rehabilitation of airside surfaces
$2,515,000
$800,000
$1,715,000
Ontario
Dryden
Replacement of decelerometer
$4,820
$4,820
Ontario
Kapuskasing
Replacement of runway sweeper, decelerometer
$193,000
$193,000
Ontario
Moosonee
Runway 06-24, Taxi A and apron resurfacing
$908,000
$908,000
Ontario
Pelee Island
Runway, identification change and airside signage, decelerometer, wildlife control equipment, rotating beacon
$46,000
$46,000
Ontario
Red Lake
Replacement of snowblower
$417,420
$417,420
Ontario
Sioux Lookout
Installation of new sand shed
$191,995
$191,995
Ontario
Sudbury
Replacement of snowblower
$371,250
$371,250
Ontario
Timmins
Rehabilitation of ATB access road
$313,000
$313,000
Quebec
Gaspé
Replacement of grader
$250,425
$250,425
Quebec
Kangirsuk
Purchase of compactor
$125,750
$125,750
Quebec
Mont-Joli
Rehabilitation of manoeuvring surfaces
$5,212,200
4,212,200
$1,000,000
Quebec
Rimouski
Purchase of snowplow truck with spreader
$264,500
$264,500
Quebec
Roberval
Replacement of snowblower
Replacement of approach lighting system, and of part of fence and barrier
$504,811
$509,770
$504,811
$509,770
Quebec
Rouyn
Emergency power systems
Construction of a shelter for heavy mobile equipment
$68,325
$572,335
$68,325
$572,335
Quebec
Tasiujuaq
Resurfacing of runway
$1,853,500
$953,500
$900,000
Quebec
Val-d'Or
Rehabilitation of Runway 18-36
$287,750
$287,750
Yukon
Whitehorse
Airside signs
$291,550
$145,775
$145,775
Total
$27,628,243
$24,159,204
$3,760,775
March 2006
