Three different rehabilitation projects at Jack Garland Airport are receiving federal funding.
Anthony Rota, Nipissing-Timiskaming MP announced $4.4 million for the work.
“The Jack Garland Airport is an important hub for residents and businesses in this region,” he says. “This investment will help ensure continued safe and reliable airport operations for residents in North Bay and the surrounding area, many of whom depend on their local airports not only for personal travel and community resupply but also for access to routine and emergency medical care in larger centres.”
The projects include runway and taxiway repairs/rehabilitation and lighting enhancements.
Jack Santerre, Airport Manager, says the work will be done this year.
“The plan is to have the projects out for tender in February, awarded sometime in March and the construction process to take place in the summer of 2022,” he says.
Santerre says there will be some interruption to operations during the work.
“It won’t stop any of the flights, we put plans in place for all of that to take place. But, there will be areas of the aprons, there are areas that won’t be able to be used while we are under construction,” he adds.
Depending on the project, Santerre says the work will wrap up between May and September.
He also says traffic at the airport is now tracking at pre-COVID levels and expects passenger numbers to continue to climb and exceed pre-COVID numbers in the next two years.
