No. H 051/08For release - February 22, 2008
OTTAWA — Airports across Canada will enhance their safety thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada through the 2008-2009 Airports Capital Assistance Program, the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, announced today.
Forty-nine projects will share close to $40 million in funding.
"The safety of the travelling public continues to be a top priority for our government," said Minister Cannon. "These projects will enhance safety and improve the economic potential of Canada's airports and surrounding communities."
The Airports Capital Assistance Program finances capital projects related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. Eligible airports must have year-round regularly scheduled passenger service, they must meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements, and they cannot be owned or operated by the Government of Canada.
Since its creation, the program has distributed over $466 million for 562 projects at 164 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.
Backgrounders on the Airports Capital Assistance Program and the selected projects are attached.
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Contacts:
Karine WhitePress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa613-991-0700
Media RelationsTransport Canada, Ottawa613-993-0055
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BACKGROUNDER
AIRPORTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Airports Capital Assistance Program provides funding for 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 or operated by the Government of Canada.
The current five-year program will allocate $190 million by 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 level of protection required by regulation.
Second priority projects include safety-related heavy 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, and operating cost reduction related to air terminal building or groundside access.
Transport Canada also sets priorities based on detailed technical analyses of facility conditions and maintenance histories, 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.
Through the Airports Capital Assistance Program, the Government of Canada is improving airport safety, as well as helping 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 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.
February 2008
2008-2009 ALLOCATIONS FOR AIRPORTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROJECTS
ProvinceAirportProjectTotal Allocation(2008-2009) in thousands of dollars
British Columbia
Campbell River
Runway sweeper and sand spreader
$218.7
British Columbia
Fort Nelson
Snowplow truck
$166.1
British Columbia
Fort St. John
Taxiways A and B, apron rehabilitation and edge lighting
$4,793.8
British Columbia
Nanaimo
Runway sweeper
$178.1
Manitoba
Gillam
Airside surface rehabilitation - Runway 05-23, Taxiway A and Apron 1
$694.1
Manitoba
St. Andrews
Airside pavement rehabilitation and edge lighting
$2,120.4
Manitoba
Thompson
Airfield signage
$59.3
Manitoba
Thompson
Loader replacement
$207.0
Northwest Territories
Yellowknife
Runway 15-33 rehabilitation
$5,355.9
Ontario
Attawapiskat
Replace front-end loader
$171.5
Ontario
Dryden
Guidance signs and runway number update
$28.3
Ontario
Fort Frances
Purchase of decelerometer
$4.7
Ontario
Kapuskasing
Plow truck
$167.4
Ontario
Kenora
Replace snow blower
$375.0
Ontario
Kingston
Rehabilitate runway 01-19 and drainage relocation
$1,613.8 (over two years)
Ontario
Moosonee
Replacement and installation of airside signs
$252.0
Ontario
Nakina
Construct new sand shed/equipment storage building
$324.0
Ontario
Sarnia
Airside electrical rehabilitation projects
$565.0
Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie
Replacement of plow truck
$159.5
Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie
Replacement of sweeper
$175.9
Ontario
Sioux Lookout
Runway rehabilitation
$3,108.1
Ontario
Sudbury
Replacement of runway sweeper
$153.8
Ontario
Toronto City Centre
Airfield lighting controller and runway end lights
$96.0
Ontario
Toronto City Centre
Procurement of truck with front mounted sweeper
$335.2
Ontario
Toronto City Centre
Snow plow truck with dump box and plow
$163.0
Ontario
Waterloo
Replace front-end loader
$214.9
Ontario
Waterloo
Rehabilitate Taxiway A, edgelights, apron reconfiguration
$3,398.0 (over two years)
Ontario
Webequie
Replace front-end loader
$170.0
Quebec
Alma
Replace runway sweeper
$185.9
Quebec
Baie-Comeau
Repair concrete slabs, runway ends and apron
$204.6
Quebec
Gatineau
Replace runway sweeper
$206.0
Quebec
Gatineau
Rehabilitate airside surfaces and visual aids
$4,673.4
Quebec
Kangiqsujuaq
Regravel runway
$2,015.2
Quebec
La Grande Rivière
Replace runway sweeper
$199.0
Quebec
Mont-Joli
Construct sand shed
$192.9
Quebec
Mont-Joli
Purchase self-propelled snow blower
$463.3
Quebec
Puvirnituq
Reconfigure apron
$1,411.7
Quebec
Rouyn
Purchase grader
$211.1
Quebec
Saint-Hubert
Replace runway sweeper
$209.6
Quebec
Saint-Hubert
Replace snowplow truck
$260.0
Quebec
Tasiujaq
Purchase compactor
$125.8
Quebec
Val-d'Or
Purchase front-end loader with removable snowblower and snowplow
$352.2
Nova Scotia
Sydney
Air terminal building apron panels
$222.8
Newfoundland and Labrador
Stephenville
Purchase front-end loader with attachments
$288.0
February 2008
