Trail gets almost $1.2 mill to expand airport
By Contributor
The Government of British Columbia is providing $1.18 million in B.C. Air Access Program funding to support infrastructure improvements at Trail Regional Airport, announced Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.
“Throughout B.C., airports serve as a vital transportation link and a lifeline for the many smaller communities they serve,” said Stone. “When we rolled out our B.C. on the Move 10-year transportation plan last year, we made it a priority to providing funding support for smaller and regional airports. Trail Regional Airport is a great example of how this funding will support the continued growth of the local, regional and provincial economies by keeping people and goods moving.”
Trail Regional Airport will be building a new airport terminal building. The new terminal will provide passengers with modern and efficient facilities and create a safer interchange with Highway 22A by separating passenger related traffic from other airport users. Additional parking spaces will also be created for improved access to the terminal for passengers. The City of Trail, which owns the airport, will provide the remainder of the funding for the $2.36-million project.
“The City of Trail is most grateful to be a recipient of B.C. Air Access Program funding from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure,” said Mayor of Trail Mike Martin. “This funding will now allow us to proceed with construction of a new air terminal building and other much needed infrastructure improvements at the Trail Regional Airport, which supports a vital transportation link into the Lower Columbia region.
“The Trail Regional Airport services the residential, business, tourism and medical needs of the region through convenient, reliable and affordable air access,” said Martin. “We are excited about the opportunity of enhancing the service at the airport, which is a critical component of advancing the long-term sustainability and economic development of our region.”
Trail is the first project to receive airport-infrastructure funding this year. More projects will be announced in the coming weeks.
Through the B.C. Air Access Program, the ministry cost-shares with public airports on projects such as lighting and navigational systems, terminal building expansion or upgrades and runway improvements. These types of projects will allow airports to improve safety, accommodate larger aircraft and more frequent flights, and further support the continuing growth of local and provincial economies.
The ministry is investing $24 million over three years for the B.C. Air Access Program. The program also encourages funding partnerships with the federal government, local and regional governments and agencies, as well as the private sector. Last year, the program provided just over $6 million toward improvements at 10 regional airports in the province.
B.C. on the Move is government’s 10-year plan for the improvement of the province’s transportation network. Over the next three years, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure will invest almost $2.7 billion in transportation improvements.
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