Government of Canada makes important investments at four Northwest Territories airports

News release

November 15, 2022                Ottawa              Transport Canada

The last two years have underscored the crucial role regional airports play in supporting essential air services. By ensuring community resupply, air ambulance, search and rescue, and forest fire response, these airports contribute to keeping Canadians safe and connected from coast to coast to coast.

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced that the Government of Canada is making important safety investments at local and regional airports in the Northwest Territories. Through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program, four airports in the Northwest Territories will receive over $1.5 million for the purchase of critical safety equipment that will assist in the removal and control of ice and snow from airside surfaces such as runways, taxiways, and the apron.

The airports receiving funding are:

Fort Simpson

  • to purchase a 4x4 snowplow truck - $420,000

Hay River

  • to purchase a grader - $410,000

Inuvik

  • to purchase a loader - $381,425

Yellowknife

  • to purchase a sweeper - $314,500
  • to purchase a 4x4 snowplow truck - $357,000
  • to purchase a de-icing trailer - $89,250  

These investments are in addition to the more than $19.8 million in funding provided through the program in May 2021 for safety-related projects at the Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, and Yellowknife airports.

Quotes

“The pandemic highlighted the important role Canada’s local and regional airports play in our country’s economy, and in sustaining the social and economic well-being of our communities. In addition to supporting personal travel, local and regional airports are key connectors for business, health care, social services, and emerging resource development sectors. Investing in our airports will improve access to safe, reliable, and efficient air transportation options, and will help us deliver on our commitment to build safer, healthier, and stronger communities as Canada recovers from the pandemic.”

The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport

“The airports in Fort Simpson, Inuvik, Hay River, and Yellowknife are all critically important for residents and businesses in their regions. These investments in safety equipment will help ensure continued safe and reliable airport operations for Northerners.”

Michael McLeod
Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories

Quick facts

  • As announced in the Fall Economic Statement 2020, the Airports Capital Assistance Program received a one-time funding top-up of $186 million over two years.

  • The Fall Economic Statement 2020 also announced the temporary expansion of eligibility for the Airports Capital Assistance Program to allow National Airports System airports with less than one million annual passengers in 2019 to apply for funding under the Program in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.

  • Since the Airports Capital Assistance Program started in 1995, the Government of Canada has invested over $1.2 billion for 1,215 projects at 199 local, regional and National Airports System airports across the country. Funded projects include runway and taxiway repairs/rehabilitation, lighting enhancements, purchasing snow clearing equipment and firefighting vehicles as well as installing wildlife control fencing.

Associated links

Contacts

Nadine Ramadan
Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport, Ottawa
nadine.ramadan@tc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
media@tc.gc.ca

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