Lunn says airport funding is high priority in Ottawa

By MARKUS ERMISCHApr 13 2007 http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/

Coun. John O’Fee will make a pitch today to B.C.’s Conservative caucus for $6 million in federal funding to expand Kamloops Airport. Yesterday, Canada’s minister of natural resources indicated Fulton Field is high on the government’s priority list. “It’s a file that’s sitting at the top of my desk. I’m working on it every week,” Gary Lunn told KTW. “I think the chances for Kamloops are very strong. “One of the best drivers for economic development are things like large public infrastructure.”

For more than a year, the Kamloops Airport Authority Society has been seeking federal money to help pay for the $20-million project. To date, only the province has committed $4 million. The city will raise its share through an airport- improvement fee. Expectations briefly soared in January, when Lunn announced an $11-million injection for Prince George Airport, but have since been in a holding pattern. Lunn, however, quickly pointed out there won’t be a funding announcement today following the in-camera meeting with O’Fee. Prince George qualified for federal funding because expanding the airport is expected to create 400 jobs that are not directly linked to forestry. The funding injection, Lunn said, is meant to diversify the embattled forestry town’s economy. In Kamloops, the situation is different. Here, expanding the airport primarily aims to boost tourism in the region, particularly at nearby Sun Peaks Resort, and to help generate jobs in the tourism sector.