As Canada works towards recovery, investments in our airport infrastructure continue to be crucial to maintain safety, security, and connectivity for travellers, workers, and communities. Government of Canada investments also help ensure Canada's aviation industry is well-positioned to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, the Minister of Labour, the Honourable Seamus O'Regan, and Member of Parliament for St. John's East, Joanne Thompson, announced new funding of more than $22.5 million to help the St. John's International Airport recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and to support continued air services and important transportation infrastructure projects at the airport.
The airport will receive over $18 million from Transport Canada's Airport Critical Infrastructure Program to support the rehabilitation of the asphalt on multiple runways, taxiways, and aprons, improvements to lighting, signage and drainage systems, and the replacement of heavy airside mobile equipment including aircraft rescue firefighting vehicles, runway snow plows and ice sweepers.
These investments will help maintain safe airport operations for aircraft, passengers, crews, and airport workers. In addition to the funding for the critical infrastructure projects, the Government of Canada also provided the St. John's International Airport with $3.6 million from Transport Canada's Airport Relief Fund to help it maintain continued airport operations and essential air services for residents and workers in St. John's and surrounding communities.
