Hopefully Moose Jaw airport authority proposal will fly

The longstanding issue of the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport’s future came up at the last June meeting of city council. For over a decade, evidence and lobbying by airport users has suggested the municipal airport could be a little gem of economic development. For over a decade, the city has done nothing other than one runway repair with provincial funding of the project. The case for expansion of airport and runway to accommodate development, landing of larger planes and jets was and is strong. In today’s business world travel by air to communities for sales visits, demonstrations and inspections is common. Ten years ago that kind of traffic was building but Moose Jaw’s shorter runway forced people to either bypass this city or take a vehicle from Regina or Swift Current that has a larger runway. Walmart executive inspections were among those delayed by the short runway. Another strong case 10 years ago was the increasing costs for private and small commercial operators at the Regina airport. Costs were driving operators to seek less expensive locations with Moose Jaw’s proximity to Regina a preferred alternative. Those arguments fell on deaf ears. Past councils have never seen the local airport’s future as a priority; they had other uses for any money that could have been invested in an airport. Nor did it help that some vocal councillors incorrectly believed the local airport only benefits a crop duster and few “wealthy’’ owners of aircraft. This time the request for an improved municipal airport is different. The three-person stakeholder committee approaching council asked the city to set up an airport authority. Airport authorities, and there are dozens across Canada, stem from budget cuts of the 1990s when airport authorities, combining municipal and local business leaders, took over operation of all major airports from the federal government. The latest request suggests CAE Inc., the civilian operator of the military flight training at 15 Wing, sees potential for RCAF training at the municipal airport. The request predicts the local airport could become an economic driver for Moose Jaw as a business aviation hub, increase options for aerospace industry development in the area, and improve service to the Moose Jaw-Regina industrial corridor. An airport authority could apply for senior government funding programs and pull together funding from private and public sources. The Moose Jaw airport is deficient compared to six other major small cities in the province with a 2,954-foot runway — the shortest — and is the only one where smaller jets cannot land and take off. The smaller oil cities of Weyburn, Estevan and Swift Current have runways from 3,998 to 5,000 feet long. Runways at North Battleford, Prince Albert and Yorkton are all quite a bit longer than Moose Jaw. If Moose Jaw is indeed in the business of maintaining and attracting jobs and development we need a 21st Century airport. Do we need future generations of voters blaming former councils for airport shortsightedness as current voters do about cast iron water mains? Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net