In a bid to bolster regional air connectivity, the Government of Alberta has allocated grant funds to support feasibility studies for 10 regional airports, including Cold Lake and Lloydminster.
The Cold Lake Regional Airport has been allocated a grant of $144,000 for a feasibility study aimed at airport certification to support scheduled air services.
Following suit, the Lloydminster Municipal Airport is set to receive $113,988 for a Commercial Air Services feasibility study. The move comes after WestJet’s announcement in December, signaling the end of its flights to Lloydminster starting April 15. Despite efforts by the city’s to reverse the decision, citing dwindling passenger numbers, WestJet remained steadfast, attributing the decision to “low flight demand.” Statistics indicated a notable decline in passenger volumes, plummeting from approximately 19,000 in 2019 to around 11,000 by 2023.
The Alberta government’s commitment to investing in regional airports extends to a total disbursement of $1.13 million. Officials say these funds are earmarked to assist in “developing business cases and feasibility studies for improved airport infrastructure and air transportation.”
This report contains contributions from G. Lampow, a reporter for My Lloydminster Now.