ST. PAUL – The Government of Alberta approved $1.2 million in funding to go toward repairs and improvements at the St. Paul Municipal Airport.
The funding will cover 75 per cent of the project costs, with the remaining 25 per cent, estimated at about $400,000, to be shared between the Town of St. Paul and the County of St. Paul.
Linda Sallstrom is the economic development officer for the St. Paul/Elk Point Economic Development Alliance. She says rural and community airports, like the St. Paul Municipal Airport, are important to rural communities for several reasons.
They’re critical for the regional economy and have been underutilized for many years, she says. “So, this is an opportunity for municipalities to improve their infrastructure to actually be economic drivers in our communities.”
Sallstrom adds, “Northeast Alberta has the resources and opportunities to help the province reach their mandate if we’re given the opportunity.”
County of St. Paul Reeve Glen Ockerman says the funding is a culmination of a desire from local municipalities and the provincial government to improve the community.
“We live in rural Alberta,” says Ockerman, and that comes with some challenges. Using healthcare as an example, he says, there needs to be a “great facility and a safe place to land... [to] get our loved ones the help they need and get them back home.”
“It’s time for improvements and everybody realizes that,” adds the reeve.
Town of St. Paul Mayor Maureen Miller agrees. Healthcare has been an area of focus for the Town and its partners.
“So, for the government to actually support us with this huge financial [funding]... it’s really going to improve [service] access to all our residents.”
Miller also echoed Sallstrom’s comments. A better airport also “might open up some economic development opportunities that we’re presently unaware of.”
Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul MLA Scott Cyr was at the airport on June 11 and says the St. Paul Airport sees a lot of flights, “especially when it comes to flying patients in and out of St. Paul.”
“This [improvement] is actually going to help with the safety of that, but we’re also going to be able to bring some more goods and services to the local community,” says the MLA.
He says he is looking forward to the construction process.
He also thanked Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen for his help in securing the funds.
“He has been going throughout the province, analyzing our local airports’ strengths and weaknesses,” says Cyr. “The fact that [the minister] went through our airport and came up with an extra million dollars... is so important to all of us.”
