Region could land airport responsibilities
Niagara Region may take the area’s two local airports under its wing.
The transportation steering committee supported in principle Tuesday the Region taking on sole responsibility for operation and governance of now municipally-funded Niagara District Airport (NDA) in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport (NCDRA) in Pelham.
Potential governance changes for the airports have been under review since 2015.
A staff report outlining the findings was presented at the committee meeting, recommending that a joint model be implemented at the NDA, with funding split 50-50 between the Region and surrounding municipalities — Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It also recommended the municipal funding model remain as is for NCDRA, with Welland, Pelham, Port Colborne and Wainfleet contributing to its operating and capital costs, due to the airport’s limited ability to advance regional council’s strategic priorities.
However, Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn felt the Region should be on a different flight path, with responsibility for both facilities landing in its lap.
Through public consultation outlined in the staff report, there was strong support to have the Region take a role in both airports, he said. Three public meetings were held in May and an online questionnaire launched to gather community input.
With a “clear link between the two” facilities and the potential for one to significantly impact the other as available services expand and change, Augustyn feels it appropriate that the Region take on both.
It was a motion that was not without contention.
When talks arise of regional government taking services over, the projections “always look fantastic,” Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop said after being admittedly surprised by the motion that was “completely contrary to the recommendation of staff.”
“Some place down the road, it turns.”
“This notion that the Region should take over not one but two airports is doubly frightening to me,” Redekop said, citing concerns over the lack of expertise regional staff have in the sector.
He said his biggest fear is that “we’re maybe losing sight of priorities,” as ground transportation issues, including creation of an intermunicipal transit model, should be at the top of the to-do list.
“We’re struggling with that right now and talking about taking on completely foreign venture and allocating services to that foreign venture when we haven’t got intermunicipal transit.”
Redekop believes government should step in and provide essential services when needed, and to him the airports do not fit that bill.
“I have no hesitation in saying I will not support this. My community will not support this. My council will not support this.”
Augustyn stressed that updates to council have indicated intermunicipal transit is coming along, with a progress report expected this fall.
“This isn’t taking away from that and importance of that … That’s a separate issue and it’s on its own path,” he said.
“These negotiations and discussions are going to take some time. This is saying let’s take the next logical step so we can have those discussions. This will keep the ball rolling and the process going.”
Niagara Falls city Coun. Joyce Morocco was supportive of Augustyn’s motion, feeling it will aid the work that has been underway to help grow Niagara District Airport.
There has been interest in introducing passenger service between Niagara and Toronto, with potential to expand to Ottawa in the future, she said.
Support also came from committee chair Tony Quirk, who felt that airport improvements, paired with Niagara’s close proximity to the U.S. border and connections to the St. Lawrence Seaway, will further enhance the area’s ability to compete against other communities for economic investment.
Glen Cowan, associate director of finance consulting and special projects, noted the NDA provides an estimated $18 million in direct and indirect economic benefit to the region annually, compared to $4.5 million at the Pelham airport.
That benefit goes beyond the funding municipalities and impacts all of Niagara, he said.
He estimated the operating and capital costs for NDA at $1.35 million a year and $810,000 a year for NCDRA.
That cost does not include expansion into passenger service.
For Niagara-on-the-Lake town Coun. Jim Collard, Augustyn’s motion was premature.
He had hoped to first discuss the staff recommendation with town council before seeing support of any kind coming from the transportation committee.
The approved motion will now go to Niagara’s municipalities to determine whether they are on board.
Before transition of the airport responsibilities can happen, the change must also receive support from regional council.
If the green light is given, a transition plan will be created and negotiations will begin.
If the negotiation stage is reached, Lincoln Coun. Bill Hodgson said the Region will be powerless.
“It’s basically a white flag, a surrender, take it over,” he said, concerned with what that might mean.