GORE BAY—While Gore Bay council feels it is a must to keep funding the Gore Bay-Manitoulin Airport for its future operations, council is perplexed as to why they have not been informed earlier that more funds are needed from participating municipalities.
“If the airport has been underfunded for quite some time, why is this the first time we have hear about this?” questioned Gore Bay Mayor Ron Lane at a council meeting last week.
This comes after Councillor Larry Eirikson, who is a member of the airport commission, made a presentation to council.
“The main highlight of the report that the commission has concerns with is its reserve funds, as funds have been taking out of this fund for years to cover shortfalls and this will be depleted in a few years,” said Councillor Eirikson. “There is the concern that if the airport is not provided more support it could lose its certification and would lose a lot of traffic at the airport.”
In his written report to council, Mr. Eirickson explained, “as presented the draft budget is based on 2015 expenditures with a cost of living increase. We have $50,000 in the budget to cover some of the capital cost for this year, which includes Transport Canada required items, for example signage for the runways ($50K), to bring the airport in line with TC requirements for a certified airport, tree and vegetation removal and repairs to equipment. We anticipate that, for the 2017 and future budgets, the capital funding will be higher with items such as crack sealing, line painting and generator replacement being high on the list for funding. The airport does have some funds in reserve but this has been used for years to cover the short fall and will be depleted in a few years.”
Transport Canada conducted a review/audit of the airport operations and compliance with Transport Canada policies in March 2016, wrote Councillor Eirikson. They identified items which required immediate action on the part of the airport. The airport manager has corrected all the items except a few, which will be corrected in the fall with an emergency live test with the local fire department, OPP and ambulance services. Future desktop exercises will be required along with a live exercise every four years. “Airport management and the commission have work to do to bring our safety management system and the corrective action plan up to an acceptable state for Transport Canada.”
Councillor Eirikson told council he met with the senior area manager from Transport Canada in May. “We discussed the issues. They were confident that the airport was in good shape and just needed to complete the identified items and continue to maintain them at the required level.”
The Gore Bay-Manitoulin Airport is a Transport Canada certified airport and as other airports in the area drop their certification and or close we will be the only certified airport in the area, explained Councillor Eirikson. He told council that if the local airport gives up or loses its certification it could lose a large number of aircraft using the airport (over 200 per year). “The Commission believes that it is important to keep the airport certified at this time. But we also think that the funding members of the commission should have the discussion about the future of the airport and whether we should a) keep the airport certified and fund it to the necessary level, b) decertify and just run the airport as needed or c) close the airport as has been done at other airports in small towns and in the North.”
“Funding from municipal contributions and other sources has not kept pace with the increasing costs to operate the airport,” said Councillor Eirikson. “As presented with the draft budget, the Western Manitoulin municipalities contribute $35K per year with the balance of the funding coming from sales and donations, which is over $125K. In comparison the Eastern Manitoulin Island airport receives over $100K from the municipalities and is not certified. The town of Gore Bay enjoys a certified airport for the cost of only $6,500 per year.”
Councillor Eirikson also told council that for 2017, a long-term capital plan is being developed that will look at the replacement of large equipment, the generator and the replacement of the terminal. With a donation it is looking at the construction of a new terminal building, as the current one has many issues related to the age of the building.
“If we increase our (Gore Bay) funding by $1,500 a year until this reaches $15,000 annually, and the other municipalities match the funding, we would have $50,000 per year for capital projects and repairs,” said Councillor Eirikson.
As for why council is only hearing about these financial problems now, Councillor Eirikson pointed out this is his second year on the commission and he and fellow member Lee Hayden have been raising a lot of issues. For instance, “this year was the first time we’ve had a budget since I’ve been on the commission. We are just finding out about the condition of the airport equipment.” He told council the financial plans have, “been ignored in the past. That is why Lee and I are insisting on things like a budget and capital budget.”
Other participating municipalities in the airport include Burpee-Mills and Gordon/Barrie Island. Central Manitoulin also donates toward the airport although it is not part of the airport commission.
It was pointed out the airport had a deficit in its budget of $44,185.00 this year.
“We are trying to turn things around over a period of time,” said Councillor Eirikson. “For instance, we are looking and lighting and spreading the cost of paying this over two years.”
“The Town of Gore Bay needs to consider and provide the commission with its opinions and the actions they want the airport to go forward with. Again, in order to continue with a viable airport, the council needs to provide adequate funding and support moving forward,” said Councillor Eirikson.
“I have no problem in providing increased funding, but a long term plan for the airport needs to be in place,” said Councillor Dan Osborne.
Councillor Eirikson explained, “we are working on a capital plan long term and how to generate more revenues, and maybe building another hangar in the future.”
“Maybe a new airport commission agreement needs to be in place and with it a broadened scope so there are more partners involved, which works for the Manitoulin Planning Board,” suggested Mayor Lane. “We definitely need to continue the airport operations, it is important, and if we ever lose certification and the airport we will never get it back.”
“The airport in Elliot Lake is now decertified, so area airports like ours are expecting an increase in traffic. Our airport is in really good shape and well maintained,” said Councillor Eirikson.
It was agreed another meeting to discuss the airport is needed and that it should include the airport manager and other members of the airport commission.
“It needs more structure-planning and attention than it has been given in the past,” agreed Mayor Lane, before adding that “the new commission is doing a good job.”
