Released on May 26, 2008
Nine communities will receive grants totalling $500,000 through a provincial program that provides funding for capital improvements to community airports.
"These airports act as an important mode of transportation for many key industries such as the mining, energy, agriculture and tourism sectors," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Wayne Elhard said. "They also serve as a base of operations for services like air ambulance and law enforcement. Today's grants will ensure Saskatchewan people continue to have access to vital services like health care and that our communities are ready for growth."
The money is part of the Community Airport Partnership program (CAP), which provides improvements to community airports such as upgrades to runways, taxiways, lighting and navigational systems. This year's recipients include airports in Esterhazy, Carlyle, Kamsack, Yorkton, Unity, Weyburn, Big River, Luseland and the RM of Frontier. The grants are determined by a review panel that consists of representatives from the Ministry, the Saskatchewan Aviation Council and the Regina and Saskatoon Airport Authorities. All grants awarded under this program are matched by municipalities on a 50-50 cost-shared basis.
"Because of the matched funding, we're going to see a million dollars worth of community airport improvements this year alone," Saskatchewan Aviation Council president Janet Keim said. "That's on top of the more than $700,000 in matched funding that was spent last year during the inauguration of this program. We're thrilled to see this kind of stable, long-term funding available for smaller airports, which are economic enablers for the communities they serve. As I like to say, a kilometer of paved highway gets you further down the road, but a kilometer of runway gets you to the world."
Last year under the CAP program, money was awarded for airport improvements in North Battleford, Kindersley, Lucky Lake, Swift Current, Assiniboia, Moose Jaw, Wynyard, Yorkton, Moosomin and Carlyle.
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For more information, contact:
Lynette Piper
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-798-2116
Email: lpiper@highways.gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-536-9692