The Province has provided a one-time investment of $16.5 million to 55 regional airports that host medevac services throughout B.C.
NDP MLA Jennifer Rice says funding for North Coast bus operators and airports will help them stay open so people can travel for essential purposes and access the services they need.
This support will ensure these companies are able to weather the challenges due to decreased ridership brought on by the COVID-19 and help them plan for a post-pandemic world.
“This funding will help ensure that people in our community continue to have access to essential transportation services,” said Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast. “It is important that people can continue to travel for essential purposes in a safe and reliable way.”
Airports have experienced a significant decrease in operating revenues that, without financial help, could affect their ability to support and sustain fire suppression and essential medical evacuation services. This grant will provide regional airports the necessary funds to maintain air terminals, runways and other operations for the essential movement of goods and people.
Each airport operator submitted a letter of interest confirming its role in hosting medevac services, identifying its pre and post COVID-19 revenues, and its revenue and expenditure projections for 2021.
Based on a combination of their revenue losses and the budgeted expenditures, airports received funding from one of four categories: Category A – airports receiving $720,000, Category B – airports receiving $360,000, Category C – airports receiving $180,000 and Category D – airports receiving operational grant funding of up to $90,000.
Bella Coola has been approved to receive funding that will help maintain air terminals, runways and other operations for the essential movement of goods and people in the amount of $180,000.
This announcement is part of BC’s $10 billion COVID response, which includes the StrongerBC for Everyone recovery plan — a plan that protects people’s health and livelihoods while supporting businesses and communities.