Ottawa grants C$10mn to two British Columbia carriers

British Columbian carriers Pacific Coastal Airlines (8P, Vancouver Int’l) and Central Mountain Air (9M, Smithers) are to benefit from more than CAD10 million Canadian dollars (USD7.7 million) in federal support under the Canadian government’s Regional Air Transportation Initiative (RATI).

Pacific Coastal Airlines has been granted CAD5.098 million (USD3.975 million) and Central Mountain Air (CMA) CAD5 million (USD3.89 million) under the RATI scheme launched in March 2021 that seeks to boost air access to regional communities.

The allocation forms part of CAD18.8 million (USD14.6 million) in federal support announced on February 22, also encompassing eleven airports in British Columbia.

Airports benefiting include Dease Lake, Tofino, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Smithers, Williams Lake, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Fort Nelson Northern Rockies Regional Airport, Cariboo Regional Airport, and Quesnel.

Announcing the RATI funding, Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and the Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, said the funding would ensure that regional carriers and airports could continue essential operations and routine maintenance during the pandemic, maintain employment, and restore economic growth in the region. He underlined it was being made in recognition of their vital service in providing commercial air access, supporting critical supply chains, and promoting economic growth.

RATI has a national budget of CAD206 million (USD160.6 million). It is delivered by regional development agencies across Canada.

Operating from Vancouver Int’l, Pacific Coastal Airlines serves 17 airports in British Columbia and to additional destinations along the south coast of the region through its affiliate airline Wilderness Seaplanes (Port Hardy) on northern Vancouver Island. It also operates on behalf of WestJet (WS, Calgary) under the WestJet Link brand to smaller cities in British Columbia and Alberta. It has an in-house fleet of three S340As, three S340Bs, and three S340B(Plus), according to ch-aviation fleets advanced data.

Established in 1987, CMA provides scheduled flights from Smithers to 12 communities, plus cargo and charter flights throughout British Columbia, Alberta, and Western Canada. Its fleet of 13 aircraft comprises seven DHC-8-100s, three DHC-8-Q300s, and three Do328-100s. The carrier was forced to reduce its winter schedule between January 17 and February 20 in response to the ongoing pandemic.