The Comox Valley Airport is receiving $2 million in provincial funding for a new civilian air terminal at CFB Comox.
The Comox Valley Airport Commission (CVAC) will use the funding to develop capacity for an international customs area, enabling the CVAC to court new carriers for international flights between Vancouver Island and the U.S.
“Comox Valley airport is a gateway to the Island, with two-thirds of passengers destined for areas outside the valley,” B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell said. “This expansion will help generate more growth, more tourism and more jobs for the Comox Valley and entire Island.”
The provincial contribution is part of a total $12.3-million expansion, including $3.9 million from the airport commission, $4 million from the Comox-Strathcona Regional District, $1.9 million from Transport Canada and $500,000 from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority for improvements to meet new security requirements.
A CVAC report projects that the airport expansion and resulting growth in tourism could generate up to 800 additional direct jobs in the region and $22 million in new economic growth.
“This new, expanded airport is great news for Mount Washington and the entire tourism sector,” said Mount Washington Alpine Resort president and GM Peter Gibson. “It will open up the ski industry and ensure it is a driving force in this region for years to come.”
The investment is part of a provincial plan that will provide $1.3 billion over the next three years to expand transportation infrastructure.
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