BC Air Access Program funding has been announced for Fort St. James and Vanderhoof.
The Fort St. James (Perison) Airport is receiving $310,727 for wildlife-exclusion fencing and the Vanderhoof Airport is receiving $366,465 to widen the runway ends said the provincial government in a news release.
With this latest round of BCAAP funding, the province said it is investing $6.2 million to support 16 airport upgrades throughout B.C., prioritizing the needs of local communities.
“From wildfire suppression to air-ambulance operations, from high-value tourism to connecting Indigenous and rural communities within our province and beyond, the B.C. Air Access Program supports our economy and society,” said Cathy Press, chair, BC Aviation Council, in the news release.
While airports are under federal jurisdiction, the province noted in the release it recognizes the importance of smaller airports to their communities. Since 2017, including this announcement, BCAAP has committed more than $70 million in grants to infrastructure projects at 80 air facilities.
The program is open to facilities that serve fewer than one million passengers per year. BCAAP has an open intake for all eligible applicants every year throughout November and December.
