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Government of Canada invests in airport safety across the country

red_deer_airportNEWS HIGHLIGHT

Government of Canada invests in airport safety
across the country

Canadians will benefit from enhanced airport safety thanks to funding from the federal government's Airports Capital Assistance Program.


February 6, 2009  By CNW Group Ltd.

red_deer_airportFeb. 6, 2009 – Canadians will benefit from enhanced airport safety thanks to funding from the federal government's Airports Capital Assistance Program. The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced funding under Round Two of the 2009-2010 program.

"Investing in the safety of our airports is a win-win for Canadians,"said John Baird, Canada's Transport Minister. "By funding these projects we are taking action to increase safety at airports, contribute to trade and tourism, and help boost local economies."

"The safety of air travelers and those who work at our airports is a priority for our government," said Minister Clement. "By investing in projects like these we are also improving the economic potential of our airports and their surrounding communities."

The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) finances capital projects related to safety, such as the rehabilitation of runways, taxiways, visual aids and heavy airside mobile equipment. Since the inception of ACAP, the Government of Canada has invested a total of $489 million for 598 projects at 167 airports, including today's announcement. Over 99 per cent of these projects were airside projects.

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Backgrounders on ACAP and the selected projects are attached.

Backgrounder
   
AIRPORTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) provides funding for capital projects related to safety, asset protection and operating cost reduction. To be eligible, an airport must receive year-round regularly scheduled passenger service with a minimum of 1,000 passengers each year over the most recent three consecutive years; meet Transport Canada airport certification requirements; and not be owned or operated by the Government of Canada.

The current five-year program will allocate $190 million by March 2010 at an average of $38 million per year. Contributions are considered for the following types of projects:

First-priority projects include safety-related airside projects, such as
rehabilitation of runways, taxiways, aprons, lighting and other utilities, visual aids and sand storage sheds. This category also includes related site preparation and environmental costs, aircraft firefighting vehicles, and ancillary equipment and equipment shelters that are necessary to maintain the level of protection required by regulation.

Second-priority projects include safety-related heavy airside mobile equipment, such as runway snowblowers, runway snowplows, runway sweepers, spreaders and decelerometers (winter friction testing devices), and heavy airside mobile equipment shelters.

Third-priority projects include safety-related air terminal building and groundside projects, such as sprinkler systems, asbestos removal and barrier-free access.

Fourth-priority projects include asset protection and refurbishing, and operating cost reduction related to air terminal building or groundside access.

Transport Canada also sets priorities based on detailed technical analyses of facility conditions and maintenance histories, airport traffic and certification requirements.

To be eligible, projects must maintain or improve safety levels, protect airport assets or significantly reduce operating costs. Projects must also meet accepted engineering practices and be justified on the basis of current demand. Airport facility expansion projects will be considered only if the current facilities have a potentially negative impact on safety at the airport.

Through ACAP, the Government of Canada is improving airport safety, as well as helping the economic viability of this important aspect of Canada's transportation infrastructure.

ACAP is an example of the Government of Canada directing infrastructure resources to where they are most needed and can best enhance safety.

Round two allocations for the government of Canada's 2009-2010 airports capital assistance projects

Province Airport Project Total Allocation (2009-2010)
Alberta Medicine Hat Replace runway sweeper  $188,000
  Red Deer Replace snow blower  $362,450
  Red Deer Replace plow truck and sweeper  $488,575
British Columbia Nanaimo Purchase runway de-icer  $117,538
  Terrace Purchase self-propelled snow blower  $357,383
Newfoundland Goose Bay Reactivate aircraft apron,security fencing, apron lighting and auxiliary power unit  $327,600
  Stephenville Purchase snow blower attachment  $172,000
Nova Scotia Sydney Install runway guard lighting and  $153,000 threshold lighting  $153,000
Ontario Attawapiskat Purchase supply of crushed gravel  $1,076,000
  Kashechewan Purchase supply of crushed gravel  $720,000
  Kingston Replace sand spreader box  $31,000
  North Bay Rehabilitate main runway and taxiways L, J and E  $5,288,300
  Sarnia Replace plow truck  $140,000
  Sault Ste. Marie Replace sand spreader box  $23,000
  Sudbury Purchase runway de-icer  $60,000
  Sudbury Replace grader  $201,000
  Sudbury Replace loader  $130,000
Quebec Aupaluk Purchase compactor  $126,000
  Kangisqsujuaq Purchase compactor  $126,000
  Mont-Joli Purchase snow plow truck with spreader  $258,000
  Rouyn-Noranda Install bird scaring system  $56,669
  Rouyn-Noranda Purchase plow truck with liquid de-icer spreader  $385,304
  Saint-Hubert Purchase plow truck with skip bucket and wing plow  $184,000
Saskatchewan La Ronge Replace snow blower  $344,500
Yukon Whitehorse Replace runway de-icer  $105,400

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