No. P14/99
For release July 27, 1999

SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT NANAIMO AIRPORT

NANAIMO, B.C. — David Anderson, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament for Victoria, on behalf of Transport Minister David Collenette, today announced federal funding of $14,400 for a safety improvement project at Nanaimo Airport under the federal government’s Airports Capital Assistance Program. Since the introduction of ACAP, the Nanaimo Airport has been awarded a total of $1.67M in federal funding for safety improvement projects.

The project involves replacing and upgrading two taxiway signs to current aerodrome standards. This improvement will help to ensure Nanaimo Airport remains a safe and efficient facility.

The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) is part of the National Airports Policy, which was announced in July 1994. Under ACAP, which officially began April 1, 1995, airports may apply for funding towards capital projects related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. To be eligible, they must receive regularly scheduled passenger service, meet airport certification requirements and not be owned by the federal government.

"ACAP is an example of the federal government directing infrastructure resources to where they are needed and can best enhance safety," said Mr. Collenette. "This program is just one way the government — through the National Airports Policy — seeks to ensure a safe, efficient and affordable airports system to serve Canadians well into the future."

Nanaimo Airport is owned and operated by the Nanaimo Airport Commission. Regularly scheduled passenger service is provided at the airport, which has handled, on average, over 100,000 passengers annually for the past three years. Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines provide an average of 26 combined flights per day between Nanaimo and Vancouver. Charter and air cargo services are also available at Nanaimo Airport.

Funding for this project was provided for in the federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. This initiative is an example of how the federal government is prioritizing its spending so that it can better serve Canadians by making efficient use of their tax dollars.

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Contact:

Rod Nelson
Communications, Vancouver
(604) 666-1675

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