News
Uncategorized
Airports
Earlton airport seeing private use take flight
March 20, 2024 By Darlene Wroe, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Temiskaming Speaker
ARMSTRONG TOWNSHIP — Earlton Regional Airport Authority chair Jeff Laferriere is pleased about how things are shaping up at the airport.
“Our year-end would have been at the end of February and we actually had a small surplus this year, which is awesome,” he said in a telephone interview.
A change in management is taking place at the end of March.
The Loomex Group has been managing the airport and has been providing the manager, James Smith.
“There were a number of other activities they were doing to support the airport,” said Laferriere, who’s also the mayor of Temiskaming Shores.
However, hopes did not materialize for benefits such as marketing synergies with other airports managed by Loomex, he explained.
“As of March 31 we mutually agreed on having our contract come to an end.”
Smith will continue as the airport manager but now will be reporting directly to the Airport Authority board.
“Everything else is the same,” said Laferriere.
The change “allows us to focus specifically on our airport. It is a bit of savings for us as far as expense goes.”
He said the usage of the airport by privately owned planes has grown about 30 per cent since the pandemic years, while the air ambulance traffic has remained consistent.
“We have seen a huge increase in fuel sales for a couple of reasons.”
One is the increase in private usage of the airport. Another is due to the fact that last summer the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) was fighting forest fires in the region. He added that having the MNRF using the airport for fuelling “really helps our communities, having the airport used in case of any forest fires getting close to us,” he said.
He continued that discussions have been taking place with the MNRF about the availability of the airport in the forest fire season ahead.
“Hopefully we will see them use our airport,” he said.
When Rockin’ On Canada Day takes place June 29 and 30, it is hoped that the Hercules (military aircraft) will be available to do a fly-by over the airport, Laferriere added.
The airport receives funding from area member municipalities through the Airport Authority.
He thanked area municipalities “that continue to see the value and support the airport year after year. We’re really dependent on their support and really looking forward to continue to provide service to our communities.”
