Ottawa drops $23.5M on B.C. airport capital projects
Investments across six regional hubs will unlock a wave of civil, paving, and electrical tenders focused on airfield safety and infrastructure upgrades.
Aerial view of a small Airport on Texada Island, Powell River, Sunshine Coast, BC, Canada.
Key Takeaways:
- The Canadian government is investing over $23.5 million through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) to upgrade six regional airports across British Columbia.
- Contractors can expect upcoming opportunities in heavy civil earthworks, runway paving, drainage systems, and high-voltage airfield electrical and lighting installations.
- Masset Airport takes the lion’s share, securing $10.85 million for airfield pavement and drainage improvements, followed by multimillion-dollar projects in Prince Rupert, Smithers, and Bella Coola.
The Whole Story:
The Government of Canada has announced over $23.5 million in funding to support critical infrastructure improvements across six local and regional airports in British Columbia.
The cash injection, delivered via Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP), focuses on restoring aging airside infrastructure, boosting operational safety, and maintaining essential supply lines for remote and rural communities. For B.C. general contractors, roadbuilders, and trade specialists, the announcement signals upcoming procurement packages for airfield paving, civil earthworks, and specialized lighting and electrical upgrades.
The projects funded under this announcement include:
- Masset Airport ($10,852,330): The largest single grant will go toward rehabilitating airfield pavement and improving critical drainage systems on Haida Gwaii.
- Prince Rupert Airport ($3,756,600): Full rehabilitation of airfield lighting infrastructure. Engineering firm WSP in Canada is serving as a design partner on the project.
- Smithers Airport ($3,624,612): Comprehensive rehabilitation of airfield electrical equipment.
- Bella Coola Airport ($3,396,100): Surface rehabilitation across the runway, taxiway, and apron.
- Kamloops Airport ($1,349,057): Modernization and replacement of aging electrical infrastructure.
- Northern Rockies Regional Airport / Fort Nelson ($552,600): Targeted replacement of the runway approach lighting system.
Working on airfield infrastructure in coastal and northern locations like Masset, Bella Coola, and Fort Nelson will present unique project delivery conditions. General contractors taking on these scopes will need to plan around tight seasonal weather windows, complex airside safety protocols, and strict logistics for mobilizing heavy equipment and materials to isolated regions.
Since 1995, Transport Canada’s ACAP has allocated over $1.3 billion toward 1,288 capital safety projects at 201 local and regional airports nationwide. The new B.C. investments aim to reduce ongoing maintenance costs, expand capacity for local industry, and support essential emergency response and medevac access across the province.