'Throughout the pandemic, Yukon's air carriers have transported essential goods, medical supplies and health care workers to and from the territory'
The federal government is providing $7 million to Yukon’s aviation sector to ensure continuity of service for at least six months and up to 18 months if necessary.
“While we continue to work together to limit the spread of COVID-19, we must also ensure remote communities continue to have the air connectivity they need for essential goods and services, travel and business,” said Marc Garneau, minister of transport. “Our agreement with the Government of Yukon will allow for reliable air services to keep remote communities in the Yukon connected to the rest of the country.”
Under the new funding, Air North will receive up to $5.7 million to continue operating its scheduled service connecting Whitehorse to Vancouver, and connecting Whitehorse to Old Crow and Dawson City. Alkan Air will receive up to $300,000 to continue to provide medevac services across the territory. A further $1.1 million is available to support charter and rotary carriers to support essential service operations.
Yukon is also extending aviation fee waivers until March 31, 2021. This will save the aviation industry approximately $234,000. In total, the fee waiver is saving Yukon air operators more than $1 million.
“Aviation is critical to the North, and our government is working with our federal partners to support Yukon’s aviation industry to keep our communities connected,” said Richard Mostyn, minister of highways and public works. “Throughout the pandemic, Yukon’s air carriers have transported essential goods, medical supplies and health care workers to and from the territory. This funding ensures they continue to provide the services Yukoners rely on.”
Air North President Joe Sparling welcomed the new investment.
“COVID-19 has created unprecedented and catastrophic challenges for all airlines. Northern Carriers have been particularly hard-hit simply because we are maintaining flight schedules that are not viable at current levels of demand but are required in order to ensure the timely and affordable movement of passengers and cargo and in order to protect northern jobs and Indigenous investment,” he said. “Air North, Yukon’s Airline is extremely thankful to both the Yukon Government and to the Government of Canada for the help provided to date and for the future assistance committed to in today’s announcement.”
This funding is for the period of July 1 to Dec. 31, 2020, and additional funding will depend on the needs of communities and the pace of recovery of air travel into remote communities, according to the federal government.
The federal government also provided funding totalling $1.23 million to help Yukon’s aviation sector compensate for lost revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic back in July. Yukon provided approximately $3.6 million in phase one federal support to the local aviation industry to provide essential and critical services. This brings the total amount of support funding in the Yukon to over $10 million in 2020.
In April, the National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) asked for immediate financial aid from the Canadian government as the aviation industry continues to face unprecedented challenges amid the pandemic.
