Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces Improvements to Cranbrook Airport

August 10, 2010

CRANBROOK, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced funding for vital safety and infrastructure upgrades to the Cranbrook Airport.  
 
 “The essential upgrades announced today will allow the Cranbrook Airport to sustain excellent and safe service to passengers and businesses throughout the community,” said Prime Minister Harper.  “Our Government is taking action to ensure that communities from coast to coast to coast will benefit from safe, modern and efficient airports now and in the future.”

This year, through the Airport Capital Assistance Program (ACAP), the Government will invest in safety-related improvements at airports across the country.  The funding provided to Cranbrook Airport will allow for the replacement of essential equipment as well as the rehabilitation of runways and taxiways.  
 
“Local airports are important lifelines for small and remote communities throughout Canada,” said the Prime Minister.  “Through ACAP, our Government is ensuring that these communities get the supplies they need and that they stay connected.”
 
ACAP finances capital projects related to safety.  Since 2006, including today’s announcement, ACAP has funded 211 projects at 93 airports.
 

Backgrounder

AIRPORT CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) is an example of the Government of Canada directing infrastructure resources to where they are most needed and can best enhance safety.  Under ACAP, airports may apply for funding towards capital projects related to safety.  To be eligible, an airport must have year-round regularly scheduled passenger service with a minimum of 1,000 passengers each year over the most recent three consecutive years, meet airport certification requirements and not be owned or operated by the federal government.
 
Since its inception, ACAP has been renewed twice and expired on March 31, 2010. The program has been continued effective July 2010 and will be financed at an average of $38 million per year.
 
Since the program started (1995), including today’s announcements, ACAP announcements total over $535M for 651 projects at 170 airports.  Over 99 per cent of these projects were airside safety-related projects such as runways, taxiways, visual aids, etc., and heavy airside mobile equipment such as fire trucks and snow plows.
 
IMPROVEMENTS AT THE CRANBROOK AIRPORT

The Government of Canada is providing $5,636,941 in support of essential safety and infrastructure upgrades at the Cranbrook Airport.  These improvements include the replacement of a wet/dry chemical spreader and a decelerometer (winter friction testing advice) and the rehabilitation of runways and taxiways.