Cold Lake gets $1 million to help commercial air travel or regional airport

Cold Lake is getting provincial money to help their commercial flight desires.

The Government of Alberta approved Cold Lake’s submission for development of commercial air services or aviation business for $1 million from the regional ID 349 Regional Collaboration Fund.

This could be used to buy a stand-alone trailer to further along commerical air service coming to the city.

“It’s going to go towards an airport terminal on 4 Wing for commercial air service or pavement at the regional airport,” said Mayor Craig Copeland.

“We’re still working to bring commercial air service to the area and we think it’s going to be a really important way of improving the economy in the area, getting that commercial air service to make life easier for everybody. We’re still working on that.”

The city has worked for over five years to the federal government and 4 Wing to bring CATSA-screened commerical air service to the region.

“This money is going to go towards a stand-alone terminal so the passengers are separated from any military involvement at the terminal there.

“The CATSA agreement is already finalized in Cold Lake. We’re working on an airport agreement with 4 Wing and basically utilizing space in Medley terminal and utilizing the ability for planes to touch and land on the airstrip. It’s an agreement to use their runaways and the Medley terminal in the beginning and they we’re going to put a terminal on-site there,” said Copeland.

However, the government has set a deadline to spend the funds by December 31, 2019. Any money not spent within the timeline will be returned to the Regional Collaboration Fund.

“I think we’re getting closer to an agreement between ourselves and the government and Canada. You persevere. Now once we get an agreement we’ll go get an airline.

The city will look for an airline to service the Cold Lake to Calgary market.

In their background to apply for the money, the city said that both facilities – 4 Wing and the regional airport – were been approved for inclusion in this program.

“Because of its proximity to CFB Cold Lake, the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range and the City of Cold Lake, The Cold Lake Regional Aerodrome, also known as CEN5, is also uniquely situated to serve as a regional hub for a wide variety of aerospace businesses.”

It said: “Both endeavors – commercial air service and aviation businesses – bode well for increasing economic activity throughout the region, diversifying the region’s economy, and supporting regional initiatives such as Cold Lake First Nations’ plans to expand its tourism operations. Investment at the regional aerodrome is scalable to the funding available and is guided by the master plan.”

Jan 11 Cold Lake Regional Submission