For many years, COPA has been educating the government on the failure of its National Airports Policy to protect and enhance general aviation airports. The dialogue continues, as illustrated below with a recent exchange between COPA’s President, Kevin Psutka, and an assistant to the new Transport Minister.
Dear Mr. Psutka:
On behalf of the Honourable Jean-C. Lapierre, Minister of Transport, I am writing in response to your correspondence of July 1, 2004, to the former Minister of Transport regarding small airports in Canada. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.
At the outset, allow me to assure you that the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of a strong and thriving airline industry and continues to shape its policies to that end. In recognition of the vital role that smaller airports play in the Canadian airport system, the federal government created the Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP). Smaller airports that receive year-round regularly scheduled passenger service are eligible for financial assistance from ACAP for capital projects related to safety.
Since ACAP began in 1995, the program has contributed $297 million to 374 projects at 143 airports.
Transport Canada appreciates being informed of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association's views on aviation policy in Canada. The Minister intends to consult widely in developing a new air policy strategy for this country, and is currently receiving advice from various organizations and the Canadian public. Your valuable input will be included as part of this exercise.
I trust that the foregoing has clarified the department's position with respect to this matter. Thank you for writing.
Yours sincerely,
Emmanuel Morin
Special Assistant - Ontario
Mr. Morin:
You clarified the issue quite well and also illustrated the problems that I have been trying to educate the government on for years.
The point that I was making and have tried to make for years is that smaller airports serving general aviation are vital to the health of the air transportation system. These airports are struggling and many of them are approaching the end of the 10-year period, as part of the transfer agreement from the government, that they must operate as airports. These airports, most of which do not have scheduled airline service, do not qualify for the meagre ACAP funds, and therefore are left on their own to make ends meet. This infrastructure is crumbling.
But you have just reaffirmed that "the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of a strong and thriving airline industry and continues to shape its policies to that end." Therein lies the problem. The government recognizes the importance of an airline industry, but I challenge you to show me even one air policy document or statement that acknowledges non-airline aviation industry as important.
The pilots who fly the airline aircraft come from training schools, most of which are located at non-airline airports. The mechanics who work on airline aircraft come from apprentice programs at smaller maintenance organizations that work on private or small commercial aircraft, virtually all of which are at small, non-airline airports.
The government urgently needs to re-examine the National Airports Policy with a view to strengthening smaller airports rather than walk away from them. I am at the coal face. I hear the laments almost on a daily basis from airports that are on the edge of extinction.
Please understand that I am not simply arguing from the standpoint of "those rich guys with their toys who are trying to get something for nothing," as so many government people seem to think.
I am a Canadian who strongly believes that small aircraft transportation is vital to keeping this vast country together, and the infrastructure is crumbling from a misguided belief that either it will take care of itself and be self-financing, or that anything less than airline is unimportant.
Kevin Psutka
President and CEO