No. PNR 002/07
For release January 29, 2007
CANADA'S NEW GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT GRANDE PRAIRIE AIRPORT
GRANDE PRAIRIE - The Government of Canada is investing more than $2.14 million to enhance safety at Grande Prairie Airport. This money is for an
on-site aircraft rescue and firefighting service.
Including today's announcement, the airport has been awarded more than $13 million in Airports Capital Assistance Program funding since it was transferred
to the City of Grande Prairie. Funded projects include an upgrade to the
approach lighting system; a rehabilitation of the air terminal building's roof;
the rehabilitation of runways and taxiways; the replacement of heavy equipment;
upgrades to the approach path indicator system; and the reconfiguration and
expansion of the apron.
"Canada's New Government is committed to improving the safety of regional
communities and their air services," said the Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. "These safety
enhancements will ensure that Grande Prairie Airport is able to provide
travellers with a high degree of protection if ever an emergency, fire or
accident occurs."
The Airports Capital Assistance Program provides funding toward capital
projects related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. The
program also assists airports, required by regulation to provide aircraft rescue
and firefighting services, by funding initial capital costs for vehicles,
ongoing vehicle replacement and training associated with the purchase of the
vehicles. To be eligible, airports must have year-round regularly scheduled
passenger service, meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements and
not be owned by the Government of Canada.
Grande Prairie Airport is owned by the City of Grande Prairie and operated by
the Grande Prairie Airport Commission. The airport receives regularly scheduled
passenger service and is also used for various other charter, cargo and private
operations. The airport was transferred to the City of Grande Prairie from
Transport Canada on February 1, 1997, under the National Airports Policy.
Federal funding for this project is provided for in the existing financial
framework.
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Contact:
Gabriela Klimes
Communications
Transport Canada, Winnipeg
204-983-3671
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 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.
January 2007
