qathet Regional District’s (qRD) committee of the whole is recommending the board of directors write a letter in support of an application by City of Powell River for runway extension work at Powell River Airport.
At a meeting on October 15, regional directors reviewed correspondence from city chief administrative officer Russell Brewer regarding the runway extension. Brewer’s email, to qRD and Tla’amin Nation chief executive officers, stated the city would be applying to the community economic recovery infrastructure program fund under the rural economic recovery stream for runway extension work.
“If possible, it would be greatly appreciated if a letter of support for the application from Tla’amin Nation and qRD could be provided,” stated Brewer.
According to a form letter Brewer sent to the regional district, currently, the runway is 3,621 feet in length and needs to be extended to 4,000 feet if it is to be viable long term.
“The length of the runway not only affects the size of planes that can access the airport, but the number of passengers who can be transported on individual flights, thus affecting the service levels provided by its commercial carrier, Pacific Coastal Airlines,” the letter stated. “If service levels are negatively impacted, then it will make it very difficult to attract new investment in the region, thus weakening the local economy.
“The length of the runway is also vital to existing services such as the air ambulance, RCAF search and rescue and the BC Forest Service’s fire base.”
City director George Doubt said he supported the grant application and supports the regional district writing a letter in support of the application. He said the proposal is for increasing the length of the runway to allow larger aircraft to operate from the airport.
“It’s important to the regional district because it is the only link other than the ferry terminals,” said Doubt. “It’s important for evacuation and emergency services and long distance connections. It will make a big difference.”
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne asked what the plan is to deal with the old landfill at the south end of the airport. He asked if it would be capped over.
Doubt said he did not know the details but he knows there is an old dump site in the area, and depending on the design of the extension, that might have to be dealt with as part of the extension.
The committee voted in favour of the recommendation.
