Northern Ontario airports are hurting financially because of the pandemic, and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus wants the federal government to help.
In the House of Commons, he pointed out huge declines in passenger traffic. to transport minister Marc Garneau.
“This summer, for example, the Timmins airport suffered an 89 percent drop in passengers while Sault Ste. Marie suffered a 99 percent drop. This is unprecedented,” Angus said.
He noted that northern airports are the front line for medical services, food transportation and dealing with forest fire refugees.
“My question is to the minister of transportation. When is he going to step up and answer the call of northern mayors to address the financial crisis that we’re facing with airports in the time of COVID?”
Angus said airports can’t respond to the pandemic the way other businesses do, and simply shut down.