No. PNR001/10
For release - February 18, 2010
RED DEER, ALBERTA — Member of Parliament for Red Deer, Earl Dreeshen, on behalf of Canada’s Transport Minister John Baird, today announced the arrival of new equipment worth $851,000 at the Red Deer Airport. The equipment includes a plow truck, sweeper and snow blower, and was funded through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP).
“Our government is committed to aviation safety in Red Deer and across Canada,” said MP Dreeshen. “The Government of Canada is investing in the Red Deer Airport to ensure that efficient, safe, and affordable systems are in place to serve Albertans well into the future.”
ACAP 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, ACAP has distributed over $491 million for 601 projects at 167 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.
A backgrounder on ACAP is attached.
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The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) 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 with a minimum of 1,000 passengers each year over the most recent three consecutive years; meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements; and not be owned or operated by the Government of Canada.
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 additional 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 be considered only if the current facilities have a potentially negative impact on safety at the airport.
Through ACAP, the Government of Canada is improving airport safety, as well as helping the economic viability of this important aspect of Canada’s transportation infrastructure.
ACAP is an example of the Government of Canada directing infrastructure resources to where they are most needed and can best enhance safety.
