B.C. invests $11 million in airport upgrades throughout province

VICTORIA – The Government of British Columbia is putting $11 million towards regional airports throughout the province.

The funding comes through the BC Air Access Program (BCAAP) to support 26 upgrades at two dozen airports, a release said.

“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. These strategic investments are particularly important for the province’s remote, rural and Indigenous communities,” said BC Aviation Council chair Heather McCarley in the release.

Airports fall under federal jurisdiction, but the Province of B.C. said it “recognizes the importance of smaller airports to their communities. Aviation-sector support through the BCAAP is critical to help the B.C. government fulfill its responsibilities related to medevac, wildfire suppression, emergency response, access to remote and Indigenous communities, tourism and economic development.”

The BCAAP has funded more than $63 million in grants to infrastructure at 71 air facilities since 2017, the release added.

A list of air facilities receiving funding through the BC Air Access Program in 2024-25 is below:

• 100 Mile House – $35,000 to develop an airport master plan
• Campbell River – $996,100 to install new fuel storage systems
• Castlegar – $1.6 million to rehabilitate the aviation apron
• Clearwater – $19,000 for a medevac helipad feasibility study and construction plan
• Comox – $220,000 to replace a diesel ground power unit with an electrical unit
• Creston – $35,000 to create an airport master plan
• Dawson Creek – $403,750 to upgrade a fuelling terminal and replace fuel pumps
• Dease Lake – $918,652 to fence the airport perimeter
• Fraser Lake – $29,012 to rebuild the runway’s north side
• Invermere – $17,100 for runway and apron improvements
• Kamloops – $1.8 million for taxi-lane rehabilitation
• McBride – $495,000 to upgrade fuel system for medevac, wildfire and other emergency services
• Metlakatla – $567,000 for an emergency heliport upgrade
• Pemberton – $121,500 for runway repairs and painting
• Pitt Meadows – $520,000 for perimeter fencing and culvert replacement to improve emergency access
• Prince George – $612,542 to purchase a fuel truck
• Prince Rupert – $60,000 to upgrade security and communications systems
• Quesnel – $272,000 to upgrade the terminal building
• Sechelt – $24,500 to improve operations at night and in poor weather
• Terrace – $2 million for runway rehabilitation and new lights and signage
• Tofino – $271,700 for a back-up generator for emergency preparedness
• Trail – $19,747 to cut tops off trees around the airport for safety
• Valemount – $132,297 to replace a fuel tank to provide a larger storage capacity for wildfire suppression

Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre – $12,675 to purchase and train staff to use an adaptive aircraft passenger lift, which will allow passengers with mobility challenges to safely board seaplanes.