Five regional airports across Northwestern Ontario will be receiving a boost to assist with the movement of goods and connect Canadians across the country.
The Sioux Lookout Airport, Dryden Regional Airport, Red Lake Airport, Kenora Airport Authority, and Fort Frances Airport will be sharing $4.14 million from a federal government contribution.
“The Sioux Lookout Airport is an important economic driver for our municipality and beyond serving as a regional transportation centre for people, goods, and services that are distributed to the surrounding region, including 29 remote First Nation communities. It is also a critical transportation hub for professional services, including medical personnel employed by 17 nursing stations located throughout several of the remote northern communities. I would like to thank the Government of Canada and FedNor for this critical funding for our key community asset.” said Doug Lawrence Mayor of the Municipality of Sioux Lookout
This funding comes from the federal government's Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI), which launched in March of 2021 and supports access to air transportation and regional ecosystems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a severe impact to regional transportation across the region, RATI enables the continuation of existing air routes and airports to remain operational and able to contribute to regional economic growth.
The goal of the investment is to mitigate the financial pressures brought forward by the COVID-19 pandemic and support the five regional airports for a one-year term. In addition, the contribution is expected to help maintain 32 jobs across the region.
The following NWO airports will receive the following:
Sioux Lookout Airport: $1,892,640
Dryden Regional Airport: $885,020
Red Lake Airport: $702,578
Kenora Airport Authority: $439,512
Fort Frances Airport: $225,705