Airports in the East Kootenay are receiving more than $860,000 in provincial funding for infrastructure and equipment upgrades through the B.C. Air Access Program.
The funding is part of a provincial investment of more than $8 million supporting airport improvement projects in 18 communities across British Columbia. The program is intended to strengthen emergency services, improve airport operations and support economic development in rural and regional communities.
“The B.C. Air Access Program strengthens local economies and supports good jobs, while improving safety for people living in and travelling through rural and regional communities,” said Mike Farnworth, transportation and transit minister. “This program recognizes that smaller airports help connect communities and are essential for people throughout B.C.”
In the East Kootenay, the largest grant is going to Canadian Rockies International Airport in Cranbrook, which will receive $729,660 for space-capacity upgrades.
Elk Valley Airport will receive $17,250 for pavement improvements, while Fairmont Hot Springs Airport is receiving $114,472 to purchase a skid-steer loader and attachments.
The province said airport investments help support emergency-response services, including wildfire suppression and air ambulance operations, while also improving transportation links that support tourism and economic activity.
The B.C. Air Access Program is open to airports and aerodromes serving fewer than one million passengers a year. The program accepts applications from eligible facilities annually.
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