The Anahim Lake Airport will receive $300 thousand for upgrades to the runway.
The grant is a part of the Rural Economic Recovery Program supporting communities recovering from COVID-19 and building economies for the future.
Darron Campbell, Manager of Community Services with the Cariboo Regional District, says the Airport has around 1,500 aircraft movements per year, around 30 medivac flights, and a scheduled service provided by Pacific Coast Airlines. The airport has also served as a base of operations for BC Wildfire Service in the past, including during the 2017 wildfires.
Campbell says the grant will go towards grating the runway strips beside the runway surface to meet a higher standard now required by Transport Canada. “Currently the runway at the Airport isn’t available to its full length”, Campbell says, “In turn, this shorter runway limits the weight for passengers and cargo that Pacific Coastal can bring into the airport”.
Campbell says completing the full runway will help stimulate the economy by bringing in full passenger and cargo loads into the area, as well as local contractors being used for the work.