Fifteen airports - including Yorkton's - have just been approved for grants through the Community Airport Partnership (CAP) program. For the third consecutive year, the government is providing $700,000 to CAP, which is designed to help offset costs for various upgrades and repairs.
Yorkton is receiving $150,000 for runway and taxiway repairs, drainage rehabilitation, fencing, apron and taxiway expansion.
Community airports were able to apply for funding for projects supporting economic development, general access to surrounding communities, air ambulances, commercial operations and aviation safety. Airports that receive scheduled passenger service are not eligible for the program.
"Our government continues to place a high priority on our airport infrastructure," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Don McMorris comments. "A safe and strong network of airports ensures the Saskatchewan advantage for businesses and communities province-wide."
Approved funding amounts and planned projects for the other 14 community airports are as follows:
Esterhazy, $50,890 for a beacon, windsock and runway crack sealing;
Humboldt, $63,980 for runway and taxiway crack repair, taxiway seal and apron reconstruction, engineering draining and grading plan;
Kindersley, $5,000 for pilot-controlled lighting system and runway lighting upgrade;
Kipling, $10,000 for engineering study to assess taxiway, runway and lighting systems;
Kyle, $49,500 for crack sealing;
Leader, $41,600 for taxiway and runway crack filling, asphalt repairs, repainting runway lines and beacon;
Maple Creek, $12,750 for resurfacing tarmac;
North Battleford, $25,000 for rehabilitation of drainage system;
Rural Municipality of Frontier, $29,250 for lighting upgrades;
Rosetown, $40,000 for runway repairs and repaints of runway lines;
Shellbrook, $67,290 for runway repairs and improvement of drainage system ;
Swift Current, $106,340 for asphalt maintenance, emergency backup power supply, security fence, runway markings, and pavement load ratings update;
Tisdale, $20,000 for GPS installation;
Weyburn, $27,500 for completion of runway recapping.
"Airports connect our communities, fortify industries, and provide landing space for air ambulances," Saskatchewan Aviation Council President Janet Keim says. "The government continues to help us attain our goals of enhancing and promoting aviation at the local level."
