One facility doing well during the COVID-19 pandemic is the Kapusksing Airport. North Star Air Service has increased its flights in and out of the Airport by nearly 200 in 2020. The Air Service delivers goods to remote and northern communities along the James Bay coast.
Town Administrator Guylain Baril says that’s not the same case for private flights.
“That’s every other flight so that’s small aircrafts, pleasure aircrafts, things like that.” he said. “So with COVID and lockdowns and people staying put and not moving that had an impact in movements through aviation.”
Baril says one grant the Town is looking into is a FEDNOR subsidy to help small community airports.
“Our airport has not seen dramatic changes during COVID, and some aspects of it are actually better,” he said. “There are the GM revenue loss might qualify and other things we are looking at.”
GM Canada announced it wouldn’t be testing its cars at the Airport because of the pandemic. That unexpected news cost the town about $60,000 in revenue.
