Sault Airport among those seeking additional investments from government
An organization representing regional airports across Canada says more government investment is needed to keep regional air travel viable.
The Canadian Airports Council (CAC) wants federal and provincial governments to consider measures that will strengthen and support Canada’s declining regional air travel industry.
In its report titled Keeping Canada Connected: The Challenge of Regional Air Service and Federal Policy, the CAC warns that passenger air traffic connectivity across the country is shrinking and emphasizes that air service is not a luxury for many Canadians, but a vital lifeline.
Monette Pasher, President of the CAC, said regional air service operating through small to medium-sized airports across the country are more than just a business.
“It connects Canadians to healthcare, education, trade and economic opportunities, and we need to work together to create the framework of support that is required to build our nation and connect Canadians in all corners of our country,” she said.
According to its findings, flight frequency at regional airports dropped 36 per cent since 2014. From 2019 to 2024, there was a 10 per cent decline in domestic connectivity and a 14 per cent drop in overall connectivity, which includes both domestic and international routes.
The report said a single regional route with daily service can generate over 125 jobs and up to $40 million in annual economic output.
The CAC is asking the federal and provincial governments to guarantee air service to remote and under-served communities by offering operational subsidies to airlines. It also asks those governments to invest more in infrastructure for regional airports.
The Sault Ste. Marie Airport is part of that regional air travel system. Its CEO, Terry Bos, told SooToday most concerning for him is a 20-year freeze in the Airports Capital Assistance Program provided by Transport Canada — funding used for infrastructure and important safety improvements.
"As you know, inflation has definitely been more than zero per cent in the last 20 years. We have a number of projects that are on our waiting list because there's there's just no funding to do it, and we're not the only airport obviously like that," said Bos.
Those projects on the waiting list at the Sault Ste. Marie Airport include replacement safety equipment, like electronic runway condition reporting equipment, as well as a plow truck and sweeper for snow removal.
"If you have another winter like we had this past winter, obviously it puts quite a beating on equipment," said Bos.
With four daily flights to Toronto over two carriers, Bos acknowledges the Sault Ste. Marie Airport isn't experiencing the challenges that some others across the country are.
"Obviously, we're doing much better than some of the other areas they highlighted — from the Western provinces to the East Coast. Even in Ontario, we've come out somewhat better than some of the others, like North Bay has only one flight a day," said Bos.
The report, which was prepared for the CAC by InterVISTAS Consulting, was presented on Monday during the Airports Canada Conference, which is being held in Quebec City.
Bos said the report was only presented on Monday, but he hopes it will soon be on the radar of elected officials, including local MP Terry Sheehan and MPP Chris Scott.
"I'm sure the CAC will be speaking to the government about this in short order, if they haven't already briefed them on it before it came out," said Bos.