No. P 004/07
For release October 4, 2007

CANADA'S NEW GOVERNMENT INVESTS NEARLY $1 MILLION IN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT ABBOTSFORD AIRPORT

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Canada's new government is improving emergency response capabilities at Abbotsford Airport through its Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP). Ed Fast, Member of Parliament for Abbotsford, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced the federal government is investing nearly $1 million to expand Abbotsford Airport's Administration Building to house two new fire trucks.

In April, Abbotsford Airport received $2,082,925 from ACAP to cover the purchase of the new airport fire-fighting vehicles. The new $957,961 addition to the airport's Administration building will provide two additional vehicle bays to house the airport's new fire-fighting vehicles, a dayroom, storage and locker space.

Canada's New Government is committed to improving the safety of regional communities and their air services," said Mr. Fast. "Our investment will enhance safety at the Abbotsford Airport as the airport expands to meet growing cargo, tourism and travel needs in the Fraser Valley."

The Airports Capital Assistance Program provides funding toward capital projects related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. The program also assists airports required by regulation to provide aircraft rescue and firefighting services by funding initial capital costs for vehicles and ongoing vehicle replacement. To be eligible, airports must have year-round regularly scheduled passenger service, meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements and not be owned by the Government of Canada.

The Abbotsford Airport was Canada's sixth busiest airport in aircraft movements in 2006. The airport also had a record-breaking year in passenger traffic in 2006 as over 500,000 passengers used the airport. The trend continues this year with passenger traffic up over 14%. WestJet Airlines and Airspeed Aviation provide regularly scheduled passenger service at Abbotsford Airport and Air Transat and Sunwing Vacations provide charter service. Since the 1960's, the airport has been home to the world famous Abbotsford International Airshow and to Conair Aviation a world leader in aerial forest fire fighting. The City of Abbotsford owns and operates the Abbotsford Airport.

Since 1995, the Abbotsford Airport has received over $8.5 million in ACAP funding for runway and apron repaving, lighting upgrades, storm drainage improvements, heavy-duty airside mobile equipment, fire-fighting vehicles and the safety project announced today. A backgrounder on the Airports Capital Assistance Program is attached.

A backgrounder on the Airports Capital Assistance Program is attached.

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Backgrounder

AIRPORTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Airports Capital Assistance Program provides funding to eligible airports to finance capital projects related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. To be eligible, an airport must receive year-round regularly scheduled passenger service, meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements and not be owned or operated by the Government of Canada. Funding available under the program is set at $190 million, to be allocated to March 2010 at an average of $38 million per year. Contributions are considered for the following types of projects:

First priority projects include safety-related airside projects, such as rehabilitation of runways, taxiways, aprons, lighting and other utilities, visual aids, and sand storage sheds. This category also includes related site preparation and environmental costs, aircraft firefighting vehicles and ancillary equipment and equipment shelters that are necessary to maintain the required level of protection.

Second priority projects include safety-related airside mobile equipment, such as runway snowblowers, runway snowplows, runway sweepers, spreaders and decelerometers (winter friction testing devices), and heavy airside mobile equipment shelters.

Third priority projects include safety-related air terminal building and groundside projects, such as sprinkler systems, asbestos removal and barrier-free access.

Fourth priority projects include asset protection and refurbishing, operating cost reduction related to air terminal building or groundside access.

Priority for funding will also be established by Transport Canada on the basis of a detailed technical analysis of a facility's condition and maintenance history, airport traffic and certification requirements.
To be eligible, projects must maintain or improve safety levels, protect airport assets or significantly reduce operating costs. Projects must also meet accepted engineering practices and be justified on the basis of current demand. Airport facility expansion projects will only be considered if the current facilities have a potentially negative impact on safety at the airport.

Transport Canada's first priority is safety. Through the Airports Capital Assistance Program, the Government of Canada is helping to enhance not only airport safety, but also the economic viability of this important aspect of Canada's transportation infrastructure.

The Airports Capital Assistance Program is part of the National Airports Policy, which was introduced July 1994 and calls for the commercialization of designated Canadian airports, through divestiture to community interests. The policy enables communities to take greater advantage of their airports, reduce costs, tailor levels of service to local demand, and attract new and different types of business.

October 2007