NDIT Contributes to Airport Improvements
Prince George, B.C. – The prince George Airport is undertaking some renovations and operational upgrades to ensure it has enough space to allow it to accommodate more business at the facility, and Northern Development Initiative Trust is chipping in with some funding.
NDIT is giving the Airport Authority a $368,418 grant toward the $683,886 total cost of three projects; renovations to allow more space for airline offices, digital screens in the boarding lounge and improving, or automating, the process of fuel sale management.
Airport spokesperson Lindsay Cotter says the monitors in the hold room were just recently completed and the demolition paving the way for renovations to the offices should be getting underway within the next few weeks.
Cotter says the remainder of the cost of the projects is being paid for by the airport itself.
Airport Authority President and CEO John Gibson says “we are extremely thankful NDIT continues to believe in us and what we do for the region’s economy. Without the funds we couldn’t carry out these projects. We look forward to providing continuous improvement for our passengers and airline partners with the help of NDIT.”
Mayor Lyn Hall says “Prince George has always been a community at the intersection of rivers, roads and rail. Increasingly we have also become known as a hub for national and international air traffic, which presents this region with significant opportunities for economic development. On behalf of Council I would like to thank Northern Development for making this important investment in our top-tier airport facilities and in the economic diversification of the Prince George area.”
Comments
As long as we keep paying the excessive $25 AIF everytime we fly, the airport will continue to find inventive ways to spend it.
Look at the tax one pays in Vancouver spent on untold millions in overpriced artwork, for what? I just want to travel from a to b for the lowest cost possible. This art is just to satisfy the egos of some elitists on the travelers nickel. If I want to see art I will go to an art gallery.
Hey Vancouver here is a hint, spend the money on moving people from one end of the terminal to the other and all points inbetwwen not overpriced art.
Careful seamutt, you will draw the ire of BH, he will accuse you of insinuating that only the “elite” go to airports! I made the mistake of saying the elite go to art galleries once, boy did he set me straight, LOL.
That’s funny!
Shouldn’t the airlines be paying for their own office renovations?
I also have to wonder world the Mayor lives in when he can keep a straight face and say this nonsense, “… Increasingly we have also become known as a hub for national and international air traffic…” A hub for international traffic?
Andrew J. Weaver , leader of the Green Party of bc has pointed out a strategy to make Prince George a high tech hub . 6 million dollars for this is cheap . The only ones that could be against this would be Telus and Luddites . This combined with the Prince George International airport would go a very long way towards more diversification for everyone , plus higher wages . What are PGs MLAs offering their ridings in return for votes ? Andrew has thrown six million on the table for a high tech hub . So what have they got ? Photo ops don’t pay the bills .
Ataloss, run for the MLA opening. The world needs a clear headed thinker like you.
Weavers suggestion is nothing more than political posturing, going into the next election.
Prince George Airport is not an International Airport. There are only 13 International Airports in Canada. The are what are called Point of Entry Airports (POE) and they have to have the facilities to process immigrants and travellers from foreign countries. That is, customs and immigration staff to process these people. So lets drop the International Airport Designation. We do of course have an International Flight once per week during the winter months to Mexico, however these would be Canadians going to and returning to Canada on charter flights, and they would be processed by local customs officers.
Its interesting to see how money moves around.
1. Government sells BC Rail for $1 Billion
2. Government sets up the NDIT and gives it $187 million dollars to promote investment and create jobs in the North.
3. Government sets up Airport Authorities and allows them to assess a Airport Improvement Fee’s to improve local airports.
4. PG Airport borrows $11 Million from NDIT for its share of the Runway Expansion in 2003. I believe that this loan is still on the books
5. NDIT gives PG Airport $368,000.00 for office upgrades, while at the same time being opposed to give an additional $1.5 million to the Marriott Hotel project.
NDIT’s original $187 million now sits somewhere in the area of $400 Million.
Line up for NDIT money gets longer and longer.
The PG Airport is an International Airport. At least that’s what the fancy expensive looking sign says just outside of it.
That’s right ! If you can fly in and out internationally from an airport , it’s international . No need to nit pick .
I think Palopu’s point was that self-designating yourself as an ‘International Airport’ might lead one to focus on things that are out of proportion with the actual International flights and activity that go on there.
Let’s face reality – PG Airport is really a Regional Airport and its business focus should be on that. Maybe then we would start to see a reduction on the outrageous $25 AIF. No, I’m not holding my breath on that.
There is no such thing as being half pregnant. You either are or you aren’t . level of term is debatable but not the condition. Baby steps for sure but The Green Party Of BC has a viable hypothesis to put PG on a level playing field with 604 . What have the other parties got to offer ? Shirley , you must have something ? What’s Mike got for PG ? How about the NDP ? What about the conservatives ? We should be grateful that the leader of the BCGP spent a few brain cells on gain for PG . Thanks Andrew , your ideas have merit . And you’re first .
Spoken like a true blue BC pretend liberal supporter . Six million to put PG on a level playing field with 604 is too much to ask for . Should they not be asked to pony up a level playing field for PG in return for votes ? Is the status quo good enough for PG ? Is it good enough for you ? The only time they will give you the time of day is during the election period . If you don’t ask/demand , you don’t get . Plain and simple . So what’s on your wish list ? When it comes to PG . It’s about the economy for {#%}^+]} sake !!!!!
Okay, airports have nothing to do with the province, (except the NDIT, well stated). Does the PG airport qualify for international designation ? No, I believe that this is false advertising ( alternative facts ). Has the PG Airport YeXeS paid back any of it’s debt to NDIT ? Certainly not made public if they have made any headway on the debt to NDIT. ( and Dan McLaren has nothing to do with YeXe$ haha,,,).
The question as to whether Prince George is an International Airport is really not open to debate. There are only 13 Intl Airports in Canada. I wont list them all, however Vancouver is one.
Put **International Airports in Canada** in your search engine and you will get the list put out by the Federal Government. Prince George is conspicuous by its absence. The Intl Airport designation by **locals** is much like calling us the **Interior Capital of BC**. This designation has no meaning legal or otherwise, however we continue to us it.
We used to call ourselves the Spruce Capital of the World until we cut down all the spruce tree’s, I believe that Houston BC now holds that honor.
There was a time when the residents of Prince George held the record for the most alcohol consumed per capita in Canada, however we no longer hold that title. Whitehorse held the title for a while. Not sure who holds it now.
In any event there is no problem blowing your horn, as long as what you are celebrating is based on some modicum of fact.
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