Comox Valley Airport鈥檚 airplane apron will see improvements thanks to the Province of B.C.鈥檚 Air Access Program (BCAAP). The funding is going to communities around the province that rely upon regional airports and heliports.
The airplane apron is the parking lot for the airplanes when not in use. When the airport opened they built six spots and for smaller airplanes. With the funding from the B.C. government, Comox Valley Airport can expand the parking area for the larger aircrafts that most airlines now use.
鈥淭hrough the B.C. Air Access Program, we鈥檙e supporting upgrades to airports that will improve access for vital communities across our province,鈥� said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. 鈥淭hese improvements to our rural and regional airports will help keep British Columbians connected and our economy on the move.鈥�
B.C. is home to more than 300 public airports, heliports and water aerodromes that connect people and their communities, support the economy and help keep people safe.
鈥淔rom 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,鈥� said Cathy Press, chair, BC Aviation Council.
In order to qualify for the funding, the airport, heliport or water aerodrome must serve fewer than 1 million passengers annually and be the air facility operator.
While airports are actually under federal jurisdiction, the Province of B.C. recognizes the importance of smaller airports to their communities. Since 2017, including this round of investments, BCAAP has committed more than $70 million in grants to infrastructure projects at 80 air facilities.
