The Fort Frances Municipal Airport will get a $1,152,366 injection for safety improvements.
“Our [Airport Capital Assistance Program] funding was approved for our application for renovation of Runway 12-30,” Operations and Facilities manager Pat Hickerson told town council Monday night.
Now a tender will be issued for the project, with hopes it can get underway later this summer.
“Timeline wise, we need to get this in place fairly quickly so they can go to tender for about four weeks,” said Hickerson. “We’re looking at an early August start date and hope that that’s wrapped up well before the end of October.”
The funding was announced Friday by local MP Robert Nault, also the minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, on behalf of Transport minister David Collenette.
Among the safety improvements at the airport will be the rehabilitation of the main runway (12-30) on which the pavement has deteriorated.
Under the Canadian Airports Capital Assistance Program’s requirements, airports may apply for funding towards capital projects related to safety, asset protection, and operating costs reduction.
To be eligible, the airport must receive regularly-scheduled passenger service, meet airport certification requirements, and not be owned by the federal government.
The Fort Frances Airport is owned by the town and has handled an average of 6,000 passengers annually over the past three years.
“Safety is Transport Canada’s top priority,” Nault said.
“With today’s contribution towards the Fort Frances Municipal Airport, the Government of Canada is helping to enhance not only safety but also the economic potential of the nation’s transportation infrastructure,” he noted.
Fort Frances Times
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