
Passengers disembarking at Kamloops Airport. (Photo via Kamloops Airport)
Kamloops Airport is getting $1.8-million from the provincial government for taxiway rehabilitation.
The money – which comes from the BC Air Access Program – will go towards renovations at what’s called the Apron II Taxilane, a key component of airport operations in Kamloops, according to Airport Society President Bill Sarai.
“This infrastructure supports not only medivac and wildfire operations at YKA but also serves expanding charter aircraft and air cargo operations at YKA, all of which are being negatively impacted by the limits this deteriorating infrastructure is imposing,” Sarai said in a letter to City Council in November.
“[The taxiway] has got some heaving to it,” Sarai told Radio NL last fall. “It has been deemed – because debris can come out of the heaving – to be unsafe and so that needs to be repaired.”
At this time, it is not clear when work on the taxiway will get underway.
“This is one of those wins that we look forward to,” Sarai said, on NL Mornings. “We’re continuously looking for funding sources and grants to help our airport not only be viable but compete with the other ones. Slowly but surely we’ll get there, especially with the rezoning application for the development lands that went through.”
“The face of the airport is going to change. It’s going to look like a first class business centre, so I’m looking forward to the next five ten years of development.”
While passenger numbers at YKA could reach a new record this year, Sarai noted the grant application comes as Kamloops Airport is still feeling the effects of the pandemic, which decimated the overall airline industry in 2020 and 2021.
The province says the money that Kamloops Airport is getting is part of $11 million going to 26 projects at airports across British Columbia. It also says while airports fall under federal jurisdiction, it “recognizes the importance of smaller airports to their communities.”
“The BC Air Access Program provides front-line funding that supports wildfire suppression, air-ambulance, emergency-response, tourism and economic-development initiatives for British Columbia’s airports,” Heather McCarley, the Chair of the BC Aviation Council said, in a statement.
“These strategic investments are particularly important for the province’s remote, rural and Indigenous communities.”
The District of Clearwater is also getting $19,000 for a medevac helipad feasibility study and construction plan.
The District of 100 Mile House is also getting $35,000 to develop an airport master plan, Quesnel is getting $272,000 to upgrade the terminal building, and Valemount is getting $132,297 to install a larger fuel tank that will help with wildfire suppression.