0

Millions in operational funding for YLW

Officials optimistic things will improve soon for airlines

  • Federal government helping airports across B.C.
  • Pandemic’s impact on airline industry cost billions

Kelowna’s airport has received $3.2 million from the federal government to cover operational costs heavily impacted by the pandemic.

The money is part of a slate funding for regional airports across British Columbia.

“This funding will allow airports and our air carriers to restore impacted services and jobs as we move into the recovery phase of the pandemic,” Harjit Saijan, the minister of international development and the minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, said in a media conference.

The money is part of the Regional Air Transportation Initiative, which helps maintain regional air connectivity and jobs.

Saijan said due to B.C.’s unique geography, air transportation provides a vital link between communities. He said he sees airport operations as a crucial driver of economic recovery following the pandemic.

The catchment area for YLW is about 650,000 people across the Okanagan and Interior.

Monette Pasher, the interim director of Canadian Airports Council, said the pandemic has taken a multi-billion-dollar toll on airports’ bottom lines.

“Since the start of the pandemic, our airports have suffered six-billion-dollar revenue losses and taken on an additional three billion dollars in debt,” she said.

Airport Director Sam Samaddar told Kelowna10, this money will help build back air service and redevelop connectivity with airline partners in other hubs in other cities.

“The aviation sector is essential to Canada’s post pandemic recovery of revenue generation for local businesses, maintaining and creating jobs for residents, and encouraging investment in the local community,” Samaddar said.

He’s optimistic things will improve soon with the lifting of travel restrictions, which were announced last week.

Lynx Air will start service out of YLW in April, providing low-cost flights from Kelowna to Vancouver and Calgary.

Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran expressed his gratitude for the funding and recognizing YLW as one of the most important assets to Kelowna and the Okanagan.

“YLW has exciting market opportunities as an economic engine for the region. However, to take advantage of these opportunity, it will require significant investments like the one made today,” he said.

Published 2022-02-22 by David Hanson

Get a fresh daily look

See what’s happening in and around our city, and the people who call it home.

Our newsroom abides by the RTNDA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and follows the Canadian Press Stylebook. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to send us a news tip, please contact us.

Kelowna10 is division of Pattison Media, and strives to achieve the highest ethical standards in all that we do.