The BC Aviation Council’s Activities to Tackle the COVID-19 Industry Crisis

Mar 23, 2020

Graphic: MountainViewToday.ca

Working Closely with Governments, Industry and Other Organizations

The British Columbia aviation and aerospace industry is facing unprecedented economic pressures which, if left unchecked, will have dire consequences not only to this business sector, but also to the safety and well-being of many of our remote and Indigenous communities. Starting Wednesday, three important remote regions of our province will no longer have air services (Haida Gwaii, Bella Coola, Bella Bella). It is our view that this is only the beginning.

During this crisis the focus of your Council is to ensure all levels of government and economic development agencies are aware of this dire situation and to support our members in the best way possible.

As of this update your Council has formed a small task force with the following objectives:

  1. Gather as much relevant information as possible;
  2. Ensure our membership is kept up to date with communiques outlining materials from local, provincial and federal levels;
  3. Lend our support to governments and agencies in any way that will be beneficial.

As a start, the Council has BCAC Board Members and Staff actively involved in the following:

  • Transport Canada’s security and operations cross-country calls (seven mornings a week);
  • Transport Canada’s Northern and Remote Communities cross-country calls (commencing Monday morning);
  • Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s cross-country calls (five mornings a week);
  • Close contact with the industry’s national organizations – ATAC, CAC, HAC, RCAC, NATA, COPA, etc;
  • Reaching out to the remote Communities that are losing/have lost scheduled air services. To date Sandspit, Masset, Bella Bella and Bella Coola;
  • BC Chamber of Commerce led “COVID-19 Cabinet” consisting of a wide range of province wide industry associations (commencing Tuesday morning);
  • Communicating with our members to ensure we are accurately conveying what is happening in the Province;
  • Corresponding with the Prime Minister and Premier’s office, plus key Ministries, to ensure the special needs of our industry are not overlooked;
  • Reaching out to the B.C. aviation and aerospace industry whether they are BCAC members or not.

Our commitment to you, our members, is to ensure the Council accurately disseminates information as it is received. The Council will be sending out frequent communiqués in an effort to keep our membership and supporters as up to date as possible. The Council is finding all government agencies to be dedicated and committed; however, they require concise, factual information to ensure programs are best addressing the challenges.

Therefore, the Council needs your help:

  • Keep in touch. Do not hesitate to reach out to us with the challenges you are facing and the impacts of COVID-19 on your operations (info@BCAviationCouncil.org);
  • Participate in tomorrow’s BCAC industry survey so we can accurate present the impacts of COVID-19 to governments.

This initial communiqué, outlining our current objectives, is meant as a starting point; if you have any comments or advice, please reach out, we are listening.

Reference Materials:

These links to reference materials have been pulled together by the BC Economic Development Association, Business Development Bank of Canada and Johns Hopkins University plus letters by various national organizations:

Articles from the BCAC website:

Click here to read the BCAC Pandemic Guidelines.

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