OTTAWA — Cathy McLeod, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, announced today on behalf of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities funding that will allow the Kamloops Airport to make important safety upgrades. With a federal investment of $905,700, the airport will be able to purchase a new fire truck and equipment to improve the airport’s emergency response capacity.

“Our government is committed to aviation safety in Kamloops and across Canada,” said McLeod. “Our government is investing in the Kamloops Airport to ensure that efficient, safe and affordable systems are in place to serve our community and region well into the future.”

“The support that Kamloops Airport receives from the Government of Canada is essential for our continuing operation” said Kamloops Airport Managing Director Fred Legace. “Major purchases like this are outside of the capacity of regional airports like Kamloops but are necessary to ensure safety of the airports system. The service should begin operation within the coming 12 months with the delivery of the truck and the hiring and training of personnel.”

This year, the Government of Canada will invest more than $20.9 million in safety-related improvements at airports across Canada. These improvements will be funded in fiscal year 2011-2012 under the Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP). 

ACAP finances capital projects related to safety, such as rehabilitating runways and taxiways, and purchasing visual aids and heavy airside mobile equipment like fire trucks and snowplows. Since ACAP was first introduced, the Government of Canada has invested a total of $556 million in 678 projects at 171 airports, including today’s announcement. Over 99 per cent of these projects were airside safety-related projects such as runways, taxiways and visual aids, as well as heavy airside mobile equipment such as fire trucks and snowplows.