Photo: kamloopsairport.com

The Kamloops Airport will be better suited to meet its growing needs thanks to some provincial money.

The province is providing $2.6 million in B.C. Air Access Program funding to support improvements at Kamloops Airport, said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.

“A thriving, vibrant airport is a critical engine of growth for any community. The Kamloops Airport has seen an increase of over 25 per cent in passenger volumes in the past five years, helping to drive growth in many sectors so important to Kamloops such as mining and tourism, as well as at Thompson Rivers University,” said Stone. “These infrastructure safety improvements will go a long way to ensuring the Kamloops Airport is able to continue to drive growth and jobs in Kamloops, the Thompson Valleys and British Columbia.”

With the support of B.C. Air Access funds, the Kamloops Airport will rehabilitate a section of the airport apron - the area where aircraft park to load, unload and refuel. The apron can get congested, which has the potential to delay the movement of aircraft during peak periods. This project will ensure the safe and efficient manoeuvring of all air traffic, as well as vehicles and personnel servicing aircraft. In addition, a new dedicated vehicle access route to the apron will be built. The airport will provide the remaining funds needed to complete this $3.4-million improvement to the airport.

“We are incredibly pleased to expand the apron at Kamloops Airport. It will allow the airport to safely handle more and larger aircraft while providing them easier access to our on-site amenities,” said Fred Legace, Kamloops Airport managing director. “This is aligned with other improvements, most recently the runway rehabilitation, that, paired with our growing tourism product, position the airport for growth with our airline partners.”

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.

Last year, the Province announced $24 million over three years to invest into the B.C. Air Access Program. The program also encourages funding partnerships with the federal government, local and regional governments and agencies, and the private sector. Last year, the program provided just over $6 million towards improvements at 10 regional airports throughout the province.