Prince Rupert and Terrace airports benefit from funding from Western Economic Diversification Canada

After some challenging months of the last year, two northwest airports have been provided with some additional funding towards assisting in their recovery planning from the last year of COVID.

Last month funding was announced for eleven airports in British Columbian including the Prince Rupert and Terrace airports, with Mélanie July, the Minister of Economic Development, Official Languages and Western Economic Diversification Canada outlining the Federal funding initiative's goals.

"It is important to protect our regional air transportation for the thousands of workers employed by this sector and for the many businesses and communities that depend on it. Air connectivity makes our regions accessible to Canadians who want to settle there and is key in moving our businesses' products to their destination markets. That's why, as part of our plan for a strong economic recovery, our government supports this connectivity, indispensable to healthy, inclusive growth."

For Prince Rupert, the funding program delivered $503,427 to the Prince Rupert Airport Authority while the Terrace-Kitimat Airport Society received $1,183,916. 

Bella Coola also benefited from the funding, with the Central Coast Regional District receiving $328,322.

The full list of funding for British Columbia's airports can be reviewed below:

More on the Federal announcement from last month can be reviewed here.

The challenges faced by the Prince Rupert airport have been a topic of interest at recent Prince Rupert City Council sessions, with the city's CFO Corinne Bomben observing as to how the City has made use of COVID related funding from the province to help offset some of the financial burdens from the last year, particularly the period where the Prince Rupert airport had seen flights suspended.

Air Canada's scheduled Air Service resumed on a limited basis in June, the airline recently expanded its flight options to the community with more flights per week starting over the BC Day weekend.

More notes related to air travel in the Northwest can be explored from our archive page.