The West Kootenay Regional Airport in Castlegar is going forward with an airside expansion. The airside is the part of the airport where takeoffs and landings take place and aircrafts are loaded and unloaded. Construction will begin in spring 2024.

Since 2021, the airport has been using larger 78 passenger Q-400 aircrafts, which has resulted in delays due to competition for space on the runway and apron. This is also a safety concern because the fire centre could need to fly out at any time.

“This future-proofs us for when the time comes that the industry recovers and we see multiple aircrafts operate here at the same time,” says Airport Manager Maciej Habrych.

The $2.35 dollar project is completely funded through the federal government's Airports Capital Assistance Program.

Another $6 million in funding has also been approved for a terminal upgrade. This grant is through the Union of BC Municipalities. The terminal upgrade is still in the early planning stages.

Listen to the story on CJLY below: