Seven northeastern Ontario airports will share in $5,786,447 in federal funding to help alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operations.
The announcement was made by FedNor in a March 30 news release.
Funds come from the Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI), which was launched last year to help airports adapt to new requirements introduced after the pandemic.
Below is a list of the funding allotments and their recipients:
- the City of Timmins will receive $2,913,915;
- the Earlton-Timiskaming Regional Airport Authority will receive $1,222,812;
- the Town of Kirkland Lake will receive $900,000;
- the Municipality of Wawa will receive $332,264
- the Gore Bay Manitoulin Airport Commission will receive $187,131;
- the Town of Hearst will receive $140,325; and
- the Town of Moosonee will receive $90,000.
The funds come in the form of non-payable contributions and can be used toward airport operations, infrastructure enhancements, and strategic planning.
Nine projects have been earmarked for the funds, which are expected to help create or maintain 23 jobs and restore an additional five full-time positions in northeastern Ontario, according to FedNor.
Timmins Mayor George Pirie welcomed the announcement. His city's Victor M. Power Airport received the largest allotment.
“Airports support jobs and growth in all sectors of the economy by serving as transportation hubs for people, goods and services,” Pirie said in the release.
“I am pleased that today’s announcement will help mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 at the Victor M. Power Airport, while supporting economic recovery and growth efforts here in the City of Timmins and across Northeastern Ontario.”
The RATI has a national budget of $206 million.
