Regional air transportation is crucial to local economic growth, the movement of goods and the connectivity of Canadians across the country. The pandemic has had major impacts on regional air transportation ecosystems, affecting communities and local businesses from coast to coast to coast.
The Government of Canada’s Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI), launched in March 2021, supports access to air transportation and regional ecosystems. In particular, it enables the continuation of existing air routes and ensures airports remain operational and able to contribute to regional economic growth, while adapting to new post-COVID-19 realities and requirements.
Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for FedNor, today announced more than $1.1 million in financial support for the North Bay Jack Garland Airport Corporation (NBJGAC). This non-repayable contribution will help mitigate the financial pressures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic by supporting the operations of the Jack Garland airport for a one-year period. The project is expected to help maintain 11 local jobs.
Regional air transportation is key to the economic development of communities and businesses right across Canada. It is essential to connecting Canadians living in rural and remote communities to urban centres, delivering Canadian goods to the global market and welcoming international visitors to all parts of the country, when it is safe to do so.
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“It is important to protect our regional air transportation ecosystems for the thousands of workers employed by this sector and for the many businesses and communities that depend on it. We know that air connectivity to all regions is essential to healthy, inclusive economic growth, and supporting it is part of our plan to build back a stronger, more resilient economy.”
“Today’s investment of more than $1.1 million will help secure the ongoing operations of the North Bay Jack Garland Airport Corporation, a critical asset to the business community across the region and an essential regional transportation hub for North Bay and many parts of Northeastern Ontario. I’m proud that our government continues to make strategic investments to ensure that our economy recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and rebounds even stronger than ever before.”
“This important project will enable the North Bay Jack Garland Airport to overcome the financial impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and allow them to be in a position to play a meaningful role in the region's economic recovery in the months to come. This investment will help ensure the commercial viability of the airport while growing, enhancing and maintaining capital assets in support of the overall economic development of the North Bay area.”
“The Jack Garland Airport is an important economic driver for North Bay and the surrounding region. As it is the only facility of its size in Ontario with a dedicated airside post-secondary aviation training facility, our airport is also vital to our local postsecondary institutions. I wish to thank the Government of Canada and FedNor for this critical funding that will help ensure a long and prosperous future of this key community asset.
“I wish to thank the Government of Canada for this important support through FedNor’s Regional Air Transportation Initiative. Regional airports, like Jack Garland, have a significant economic and social impact on the population and businesses they serve. We look forward to continuing to operate in a safe, secure and efficient manner for the benefit of the entire community.”
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