No. H 080/08
For rele ase - March 27, 2008
RED DEER, ALBERTA - Red Deer Airport will receive funding to enhance safety, thanks to an investment by the Government of Canada through the 2008-2009 Airports Capital Assistance Program. Bob Mills, MP for Red Deer, made t he announcement today on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
Red Deer will receive up to $2,131,063 in funding to rehabilitate its airfield lighting system.
"Our government is committed to aviation safety in Red Deer and across Canada," said Mr. Mills. "This improvement project will help the airport to meet the growing needs of the community it serves and enhance safety for air passengers."
"The safety of the trav elling public continues to be a top priority for our government," said Minister Cannon. "This funding will enable Red Deer Airport to enhance safety."
The Airports Capital Assistance Program finances capital projects related to safety, asset pro tection 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 $468 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 e quipment.
A backgrounder on the Airports Capital Assistance Program is attached.
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Contacts:
Karine White
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Communications
Transports Canada, Winnipeg
204-983-6315
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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, as well as ancillary equipment and equipment shelters that are necessary to maintain the level of protection require d 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 con ditions 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 Capita l 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 Nati onal 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.
March 2008
