BC Air Access Program Awards for 2026-2027

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- In the Cariboo-Chilcotin: 

* Anahim Lake (Cariboo RD Area J) -- Nearly $1.6 million for an apron expansion at Anahim Lake Airport 

* Bella Coola – $30,400 for a facility master plan at Bella Coola Airport 

* Quesnel – $24,234 for a facility master plan at Quesnel Regional Airport 

Eighteen B.C. communities will benefit from upgrades to land and water airports through an investment of more than $8 million from B.C. Air Access Program.

“The B.C. Air Access Program strengthens local economies and supports good jobs, while improving safety for people living in and travelling through rural and regional communities,” said the Hon. Mike Farnworth, BC's Minister of Transportation and Transit. “This program recognizes that smaller airports help connect communities and are essential for the people throughout B.C.”

Investment in services, economic development

The investment will include upgrades to air facilities to support wildfire suppression, air ambulance and other emergency-response services. For example, the Anahim Lake apron expansion project will improve access for medevac and expand the wildfire operations base for a large, isolated area.

Upgraded airports support economic development and tourism potential by getting goods and people faster to destinations throughout the province. At the Ganges Outer Harbour on Salt Spring Island, expanded dock moorage facilities will allow floatplanes to land more often, supporting the local economy and tourism needs.

Beneficial community impacts

“This program has a significant positive impact for communities throughout the province,” said Cathy Press, chair, BC Aviation Council. “It provides funding for a variety of projects from lighting improvements to facility expansions, which will benefit communities and residents for years to come.”

The program is open to facilities that serve fewer than one million passengers per year. BCAAP opens intake for all eligible applicants from November until January each year.

Quick Facts:

• B.C. is home to more than 300 public airports, heliports and water aerodromes that connect people and their communities, support the economy and help keep people safe.
• Since 2017, the B.C. Air Access Program has committed more than $80 million in grants to infrastructure projects at 83 air facilities.

Learn More:

For more information about aviation infrastructure funding, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BCAirAccessProgram

Provincial Grants help small Airports!

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Communities that rely upon regional airports, heliports and water aerodromes provincewide will benefit from funding provided through the Province of B.C.’s Air Access Program.

“Through the B.C. Air Access Program, we’re supporting upgrades to airports that will improve access for vital communities across our province,” said the Hon. Mike Farnworth, BC's Minister of Transportation and Transit. “These improvements to our rural and regional airports will help keep British Columbians connected and our economy on the move.”

This year, the Province is investing $6.2 million through the BC Air Access Program (BCAAP) to support 16 airport upgrades throughout B.C., prioritizing the needs of local communities.

Projects include:

• runway improvements in Comox, Courtenay and Vanderhoof;
• a permanent heliport to serve the isolated community of Tipella, supporting air ambulance and visits by medical practitioners;
• wildlife-exclusion fencing at Fort St. James;
• upgraded weather monitoring at Fairmont Hot Springs; and
• lighting and fuel system upgrades at several airports to improve safety.

“From wildfire suppression to air-ambulance operations, from high-value tourism to connecting Indigenous and rural communities within our province and beyond, the B.C. Air Access Program supports our economy and society,” said Cathy Press, chair, BC Aviation Council.

B.C. is home to more than 300 public airports, heliports and water aerodromes that connect people and their communities, support the economy and help keep people safe. 

While airports are under federal jurisdiction, the Province recognizes the importance of smaller airports to their communities. Since 2017, including this announcement, BCAAP has committed more than $70 million in grants to infrastructure projects at 80 air facilities.

The program is open to facilities that serve fewer than one million passengers per year. BCAAP has an open intake for all eligible applicants every year throughout November and December.

Learn More:

For more information about aviation infrastructure funding and cost-sharing, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/funding-engagement-permits/funding-grants/aviation-infrastructure-funding

A backgrounder follows

Backgrounder:

Air facilities in the following communities have received funding through the BC Air Access Program for 2025-26:

100 Mile House – $14,401 for runway safety improvements

Alert Bay – $35,000 for a facility master plan

Burns Lake – $802,297 for a fuel system upgrade

Comox – $2 million to expand the runway apron

Courtenay – $66,300 to rehabilitate the taxiway and runway

Dawson Creek – $90,153 to repair airfield lighting

Fairmont Hot Springs – $48,688 to upgrade weather monitoring

Fort St. James – $310,727 for wildlife-exclusion fencing

Mackenzie – $46,269 to install motorized gates and upgrade terminal doors

Masset – $392,883 to replace a refueller truck

Nanaimo – $74,630 for a lighting and electrical upgrade

Prince George – $469,480 to upgrade runway lighting

Smithers – $35,000 for a facility master plan

Tipella – $1.2 million to build a permanent heliport

Williams Lake – $233,127 to replace fuel-dispensing cabinets

Vanderhoof – $366,465 to widen the runway ends

Cariboo Airports receive Provincial Funding

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- the following local governments' of the Cariboo-Chilcotin are receiving Airport funding from the Province of BC:

Quesnel -- $272,000 to upgrade the Quesnel Regional Airport Terminal Building

100 Mile House - $35,000 to develop an Airport Master Plan

New support for B.C.’s regional airports will improve the lives of people in rural, remote and Indigenous communities by enhancing front-line services, such as firefighting and health care, while fostering economic growth.

“Airports play a key role in bringing together communities and people, and provide the vital links that keep goods moving and our economy strong,” said Dan Coulter, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit. “This provincial support will help our regional airports with a wide range of upgrades that will increase safety, reliability and capacity for the services that British Columbians rely on, including access to health care and support for firefighting.”

This year, the Province is investing $11 million through the BC Air Access Program to support 26 upgrades at two dozen airports throughout British Columbia, prioritizing the needs of local communities.   

Projects include:

• runway improvements at Kamloops, Castlegar and Terrace;
• an emergency heliport upgrade for the Metlakatla First Nation;
• fuel storage improvements at four locations to support wildfire aircraft operations;
• improved accessibility at the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre for passengers with disabilities;
• perimeter fencing and emergency-access improvements at Pitt Meadows; and
• various terminal upgrades and emergency preparedness improvements.

“The BC Air Access Program provides front-line funding that supports wildfire suppression, air-ambulance, emergency-response, tourism and economic-development initiatives for British Columbia’s airports,” said Heather McCarley, chair of the BC Aviation Council. “These strategic investments are particularly important for the province’s remote, rural and Indigenous communities.” 

B.C. is home to more than 300 public airports, heliports and water aerodromes that connect people and their communities, support the economy and help keep people safe. 

While airports fall under federal jurisdiction, the Province recognizes the importance of smaller airports to their communities. Aviation-sector support through the BC Air Access Program (BCAAP) is critical to help the B.C. government fulfil its responsibilities related to medevac, wildfire suppression, emergency response, access to remote and Indigenous communities, tourism and economic development.

Since 2017, BCAAP has committed more than $63 million in grants to infrastructure projects at 71 air facilities. The program is open to facilities that serve fewer than one million passengers per year. BCAAP has an open intake for all eligible applicants annually from November to December, and for Indigenous applicants and for small urgent safety-related projects throughout the year.

Learn More:

To find out more about the BC Air Access Program, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/funding-engagement-permits/funding-grants/aviation-infrastructure-funding

Aviation Grants provided to BC Airports

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Editor's Note -- South Cariboo Regional Airport at 108 Mile House (Cariboo RD Area "G") received $2 million to complete a runway rehabilitation project as well as the Williams Lake Regional Airport receiving $83,750 to complete an apron lighting upgrade project as well as installing 2 new automatic security gates

The Province is upgrading regional airports to help support economic development, improve aviation services and safety, and enhance access to B.C.’s rural and remote communities.

“The BC Air Access Program helps communities, especially smaller ones, with important improvements to their aviation facilities,” said the Hon. Rob Fleming, BC's Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This investment will help move people and goods, improve safety and benefit front-line services, like air ambulance and wildfire fighting, as well as making for more secure access to remote and Indigenous communities.”

The Province is investing $19.8 million in the latest round of BC Air Access Program (BCAAP) projects, which will support 40 projects at 29 air facilities, improving safety, security and passenger facilities. Projects include runway extensions, improved runway lighting, pavement improvements, terminal enhancements and better fire protection. 

“These investments are improving local airports across the province, making a difference for travellers, the aviation industry and the businesses that count on reliable air service to export their products to markets worldwide,” said Dan Coulter, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Transit.

Under BCAAP, airports, heliports and water aerodromes submit proposals to access grants to support infrastructure upgrades.

“The continued expansion of the BC Air Access Program is positive news for the province’s remote, rural and Indigenous communities, as well as for fire suppression, air ambulance, emergency response, tourism and economic development initiatives,” said Heather McCarley, chair of the BC Aviation Council. “We are so pleased to see such progressive, strategic thinking.”

B.C. has more than 300 public airports, heliports and water aerodromes, which play a significant role in connecting communities, supporting the economy and keeping people safe.

“Improving air services in rural and remote communities across B.C. helps serve everyone’s needs and improves our connections with the rest of the province and country,” said Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development. “Aviation provides vital links to smaller communities, and this support will provide these airports and communities with better services, improved emergency-response capacity and more opportunities to grow their local economies.”

Since its launch in 2015, BCAAP has committed $66.8 million in grants to infrastructure projects at 71 air facilities. The program is open to applicants from facilities that serve fewer than one million passengers per year. Applicants are eligible for as much as $2 million in annual cost-sharing grants to help fund infrastructure needs. Air facility operators include local governments, non-profit operating societies and contracted operators applying on their behalf.