$500,000 IN PROVINCIAL FUNDING FOR AIRPORT PROJECTS

The Government of Saskatchewan announced today 12 grants worth $500,000 that will improve airport infrastructure in the province.

The grants are part of the province's Community Airport Partnership program that will see a total of $1 million invested this fiscal year in this important transportation infrastructure. The municipal governments involved match the provincial contribution.

"As a province, we recognize the important role airports and the aviation industry plays in our already robust economy through our transportation strategy, Transportation for Economic Advantage," Learning Minister and Moose Jaw Wakamow MLA Deb Higgins said on behalf of Highways and Transportation Minister Buckley Belanger.

Transportation for Economic Advantage is a 10-year, $5-billion commitment to fundamentally realign the province's transportation network to meet the current and future demands of Saskatchewan's thriving economy, while looking for new ways and new partnerships to do business.

"This provincial funding will make lives better for Saskatchewan communities by improving the quality of air transportation," Moose Jaw North MLA Glenn Hagel said. "The funding will allow the Moose Jaw airport to provide even better service for air ambulances, charters, police aircraft, business and recreational users."

As one of the 12 projects to receive a grant, the airport east of Moose Jaw will receive $182,430 in provincial funding for runway improvements.

"The rehabilitation of the airport has been a priority of this city council and we are pleased the province has a program which will allow us to cost share to enhance the runway to provide better service to the municipal airport users," Moose Jaw Mayor Dale McBain said.

Eligible airports were able to apply for provincial funding through the Community Airport Partnership Program for projects supporting economic development, general access to surrounding communities, air ambulances, commercial operations and aviation safety. The airports also had to be ineligible for funding through the federal government and willing to fund half of the projects on an equal basis. The province committed to fund the other half to a maximum of $200,000 per project.

This new program for community regional airports was developed in consultation with the Saskatchewan Aviation Council, along with the Regina and Saskatoon Airport Authorities.

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For more information, contact:

Dan Palmer
Highways and Transportation
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4805
Cell: 306-536-9692