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AG says Northern Airports Need Upgrades

Wednesday, 17 May 2017 08:31

Auditor General says Ottawa knows remote and northern airports need work, but are not doing so.

Canada's top accountant is calling on the federal government to kick start much-needed improvements to airports in Canada's remote north.

In his spring report to Parliament, auditor general Michael Ferguson says the government is well aware of deficiencies at the airports, including flickering runway lighting and outdated navigation systems.

But he says Transport Canada has failed to take the lead in fixing the problems and making necessary upgrades.

Many northern communities rely on air transportation as their only means of getting fresh food, medicine and other supplies.

While Transport Canada's Airports Capital Assistance Program has an annual budget of $38 million available for airport safety-related projects, auditors say only about $15 million was spent on remote northern airports over the past three years.

Their report identified $101 million in needed upgrades at 41 of the 117 remote airports they examined.

(The Canadian Press)

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