WHEREAS community airports are a vital component of local government transportation infrastructure which provide services to residents and opportunities for community economic development; AND WHEREAS community airports receive little in the way of core funding from senior government, despite an atmosphere of increasing regulation: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM support rural communities in developing and maintaining airports by requesting Transport Canada and the Province provide adequate, stable funding and clarity of regulation for rural airports.
Ministry of Transportation Infrastructure The Province supports rural communities in developing and maintaining airports through the Transportation Partnerships Program an application driven conditional contribution program that partners with airports to provide capital contributions to infrastructure investments that will result in significant, incremental economic benefit. A sub-component of the program focuses on major rehabilitation. Funding is focused on infrastructure development and is not available for operations. The Province works with the airport community to ensure that the federal government, who has the jurisdiction to regulate aviation, is aware of the impact that regulations, regulatory amendments, or lack of clarity around regulations, have on British Columbia airports. The Province works closely with the federal government to ensure that such issues are addressed.