New Airports Act Allows Gov to Introduce Airport Improvement Fees

Wednesday, 11 October 2017 08:39

Highways and Public Works Minister Richard Mostyn says the government has no plans on doing so.

Highways and Public Works Minister Richard Mostyn (Whitehorse West) was quick to deny that his government will introduce a new airport use or service fee. The Public Airports Act tabled last week allows the government greater control over how Yukon’s public airports are managed. Section 21(1) (k) of the legislation “respecting fees, rates and charges for the use of public airports and for the use of services at public airports.”

During Question Period Tuesday afternoon Mostyn shot down the notion by Yukon Party MLA Scott Kent (Copperbelt South) that the governing Liberals would introduce a new airport tax. “I want to be very clear with the member opposite. This government has no plans to introduce an airport improvement fee.”

But Kent pressed questioning why the government would create this provision, if it did not intend to use it. “The act is very clear. It outlines that the government will be given the powers to bring in fees and charges for the use of public airports in the Yukon. As I just asked, this raises the question: Why do Liberals want this power unless they intend on using it, and will the minister amend the act to rule out the implementation of airport improvement fees?” “That is why we find it very concerning that the Liberals have brought forward a piece of legislation that appears to give them the ability to bring in an airport tax or an airport fee.”

Kent inquired how the government consulted regarding the creation of the legislation. Mostyn says the targeted talks within the aviation industry took place over the summer. “a very engaged industry, and one that is not shy about making its views heard. I have taken a lot of meetings with this industry. They know their industry. They know what they want. They know what their interests are, and they have not expressed any concerns with me about the legislation as it currently stands.”

Yet Kent described the consultation as little more than phone conversations. “I and colleagues of mine also reached out to industry representatives across the territory who use our airports to see if they had been consulted. From what we were told, consultation consisted of only brief phone calls that they thought wouldn’t be considered thorough and meaningful consultation.”

Mostyn says more talks with the airline sector will come with the development of the regulations, committing that the legislation will not come into force until the regulations are set. “What the airport and airline industry is really focused are the regulations that come in behind this piece of legislation. We will be working very closely with the aviation advisory group to make sure that those regulations meet the needs of industry, and I am more than happy to do that.”

However, Mostyn pointed out opposition within the industry is quiet. “Not an awful lot of concerns with this piece of legislation have been brought to my attention.”

The Yukon Party moved its questioning to the tourism sector as Geraldine Van Bibber (Porter Creek North) expressed concern on how Yukoners and tourists, some 340,000 a year will be affected. But Mostyn says the legislation will have no bearing on tourism. “We do not expect this to have any impact on the economics of our airlines. We work very closely with Air North and with Alkan Air and with a host of airlines in the territory. Our goal is to make our airline industry more sustainable.”

Mostyn stressed that the real meat to this Act will come in it’s regulations. “The real test of this legislation will come later on in the drafting of the regulations, which we are going to do in consultation with the Yukon Aviation Advisory Group.”

(Dan Jones Whitehorse Oct. 10, 2017)