Kamloops Airport will receive $2.6 million from the provincial government to rehabilitate a section of the airport apron, or the area where aircraft park to load, unload and refuel.
The money comes from the B.C. Air Access Program and was announced at the airport Monday by Todd Stone, the province’s transportation minister and MLA for Kamloops-South Thompson.
“A thriving, vibrant airport is a critical engine of growth for any community,” Stone said. “The Kamloops Airport has seen an increase of over 25 per cent in
passenger volumes in the past five years, helping to drive growth in many sectors so important to Kamloops, such as mining and tourism, as well as at Thompson Rivers University.”
The airport apron can get congested, which has the potential to delay the movement of aircraft during peak periods. In addition to rehabilitation, a new dedicated vehicle access route to the apron will be built. The airport will provide the remaining funds needed to complete the $3.4-million project.
“It will allow the airport to safely handle more and larger aircraft while providing them easier access to our on-site amenities,” said Fred Legace, Kamloops Airport’s managing director. “This is aligned with other improvements, most recently the runway rehabilitation, that, paired with our growing tourism product, position the airport for growth with our airline partners.”
Through the B.C. Air Access Program, Victoria cost-shares with public airports on projects such as lighting and navigational systems, terminal building expansion or upgrades and runway improvements.
Last year, the province announced $24 million over three years for the B.C. Air Access Program.
