The City of Flin Flon has received just over half a million dollars in funding to keep the Flin Flon Airport going.
Flin Flon’s aerial hub is one of seven airports in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba that will receive money through the federal government’s Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI), which has awarded up to $8.46 million in total funding for projects at the airport sites. In Flin Flon, city government will receive up to $527,160 for projects at the airport - the exact sum will be determined at a later date. RATI was created last March to allow regional airports to stay operating at a time when COVID-19 has restricted travel in several regions.
“Regional air transportation is crucial to local economic growth, the movement of goods and the connectivity of Canadians across the country. The pandemic has had major impacts on regional air transportation ecosystems, affecting communities and local businesses from coast to coast to coast,” reads a federal press release about the funding.
“This funding will enable these airports to overcome challenges that were brought on by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Flin Flon Airport is not the only northern airport to receive funding - through the same program, the Thompson Regional Airport Authority received up to $582,820 for programming. Other recipients include airports in Brandon, Saskatoon, Regina, Lloydminster and Grande Prairie. More than $5 million of the funds allocated will be going to projects at Saskatoon and Regina respectively.
