Province Will Pay Its Third for Runway Project

Friday, August 17, 2007 04:08 AM

B.C.'s Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon says he has talked to Jim Blake , Chair of the Prince George Airport Authority, and has given him the assurance that the Province's contribution for the runway extension is coming.

“We will be there when they need the money” Falcon says, "If they need money in September or October I have told them to go ahead, and I’ll find it in the budget”.

Falcon's been facing some pressure following news the Federal Treasury Board has approved the Federal portion of the $36 million dollars needed for the extension of the runway at Prince George Airport. Like Ottawa, Victoria had been waiting for a consultant's report to show them the project will "fly."

Falcon is quick to say the money will be coming, but isn't quite so sure about where the dollars will be found "I have to look at my budget and see how it will work." says Falcon.

The Minister of Transportation is passing some praise for the other contributors "I am pleased the Northern Development Trust were the first people to step in and provide funding for the project that is why we created the fund , I also want to congratulate the Feds for what they have done in contributing to this project. I sincerely mean it that their contribution will go a long way in moving this region ahead. "

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Posted on Friday, August 17, 2007 04:08 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on August 17 2007 7:01 AM

Right on! Too bad my Uncle didn't get to see this day. He was one of the guys on the graders when the airport expansion was underway in about 1942.

Posted by: Palopu on August 17 2007 7:40 AM

It would be interesting to see the consultants report, however I suppose that will be confidential information.

Posted by: Bridge on August 17 2007 10:25 AM

Well Palopu I can help you on that one. Had a couple of beers with one of the head honcho's from the airport and he said that Putin when he hears of this socialist project will be landing troops in Alaska

The Americans will be flying soldiers and miliatary equipment north and that the Prince George airport will be centrally located for fueling stops and a rest (R&R)area for the men.

This all ties in with the gambling establishments that Mr Major is providing as we know how crazy these Americans are about this sort of passtime.

There is another aspect too these Americans stopping here is their love of icecream and cocacola. When I was in Korea they claimed that if you set up an icecream stand the Americans would forget about war and get in line for ice cream.

But I digress.

I hope this will solve your conundrum Palopu on this great airport we are about to have built in our midst.

Cheers

Posted by: owl on August 17 2007 10:52 AM

Speaking of that, whatever happend to the bridge link to Europe via Alaska? There were some drawings of that at City Hall about a year ago and have snot seen anything since. Is RASputin holding that up?

;-)

Posted by: owl on August 17 2007 10:56 AM

found it ...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/18/news/pipe.php

Posted by: Buzz on August 17 2007 11:04 AM

Good one Bridge!! You forgot about the Chinese government who will use our expanded airport runway to bring in REALLY BIG PLANES full of hordes of people to squat on our lands and take over our country.

Posted by: Gofaster on August 17 2007 7:54 PM

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon gives assurance that the Province's contribution for the runway extension is coming...
and with all the other misguied assurances by this government i am supposed to do what....hold my breath...
send a cheque that doesn't bounce and I will be a lot happier than I am now with all this hot air flying about.

Posted by: Bridge on August 18 2007 10:39 AM

The Chinese government who will use our expanded airport runway to bring in REALLY BIG PLANES full of hordes of people to squat on our lands and take over our country.

Buzz I have to disagree with you on that one. I think that the chinese would probably contribute more to our society then our american friends. The gambling business would probably suffer and dont forget that our government has too provide assistance for problem gambelers.

Another problem we would have is with draft dodgers when the troops deplane for R&R. They arrived in Canada by the truck loads during the Vietnamies war. All they were interested in was smoking dope and free love.

And Owl your back giving us all these wonderful websites that my dialup IP will not handle to well. But I did check the "bridge " idea but its not what I had in mind.

Hey where is Chadermando on this topic. He/she always has a lot of ideas that we should probably hear. But I guess he/she is probably off low-bedding somewhere and chewing bennies.

Guess I had better go as I have probably held the norm by providing a lot of irrelevent information that no one will read.

Oh and I almost forgot we no longer own Canada it went up for grabs a long time ago.
Cheers

Posted by: Chester on August 18 2007 2:35 PM

Hard to believe that Minister Kevin Falcon hasn't figured where he is going to get the money from before now. What has he been doing? Blowing smoke to make us think he is in the game? Chester

Posted by: Palopu on August 18 2007 8:37 PM

Falcon is probably not to crazy about giving $11 Million dollars to build a runway expansion on a Federal Government Airport. Whats in it for the Provincial Government. The Federal Government will collect rent (lease) money from the Airport Authority starting in 2011 and therefore will have an opportunity to get their money back over time, however there is no way that the Province will gain anything out of this.

Dont forget that the money loaned to the Airport Authority from the Northern Trust actually came from the Provincial Government through the sale of BC Rail, so they have been involved. This money has to be paid back, however if they did not get the 1st $11 Million from NTI (BC Gov.) it would be highly unlikely that they would have got as far as they have.

Posted by: Chester on August 19 2007 9:42 AM

"What's in it for the Provincial Government?" More business in BC, more tax revenue for the province for every dollar spent here as a result of this expansion.

Business, investment, jobs is how all of the wealth is created for the province. The more we can attract to the province, the better this province will be financially. Chester