Expansion coming to Oliver Municipal Airport
By Contributor
Oliver Municipal Airport will be receiving a grant of $157,350 to fund upgrades under the B.C. Air Access program announced Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson.
The funding will create a new parallel runway at the airport, as well as widen the taxiway at the ramp to reduce congestion.
“I am excited and pleased about the funding being provided to Oliver Airport” said Larson. “This will increase safety and capacity at the airport, which is a benefit to everyone.”
“The Province of British Columbia’s investment comes at a critical time for the Oliver Airport. The expansion project will not only address safety concerns it will also assist us in increasing airport capacity and business development to support our economic growth,” said Ron Hovanes, Mayor of Oliver.
“This will go down as one of the most beneficial grants to be awarded to the Oliver Municipal Airport in its history”, said Paul Dumoret Airport Manager. “We have been a very fortunate community to have accessed a number of grants in the past that have assisted in making this the active airport it is today, with more and more turbine and charter traffic. With the influx of larger aircraft, the need for a parallel taxiway and ramp expansion has become more of a necessity than ever, in order to accommodate the size and numbers of movements, which fuels the economic growth of this region. We applaud those responsible for helping make this happen.”
Through the B.C. Air Access Program, the government cost shares with public airports on development projects. These types of projects will allow airports to improve safety, accommodate larger aircraft and more frequent flights, and further support the continuing growth of local and provincial economies.
The government is investing $24 million over three years for the B.C. Air Access Program.The program also encourages funding partnerships with the federal government, local and regional governments and agencies, and the private sector. Last year, the program provided just over $6 million towards improvements at ten regional airports across the province.
B.C. on the Move is government’s 10-year plan for the improvement of the province’s transportation network. Over the next three years, the B.C. government will invest almost $2.7 billion in transportation improvements.
