AIRPORT REVIEW
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more loosely regulated for noise and pollution .
With the exception of Moncton , which has a single seasonal flight to Orlando ( MCO ) served by Air Transat ( TS ), the province of New Brunswick lacks direct flights to any airport in the United States . This poor connectivity forces residents to transit through large Canadian hubs to reach other
American destinations , with the inconvenience of longer flight times and higher fares . The opening of the logistics park and the prospective arrival of international companies could help YSJ to attain a year-round airlink for New Brunswick to the United States : the logistics ecosystem in St . John would stimulate the local economy , thus stimulating passenger numbers .
In Canada , airports are federally regulated by the government-run Transport Canada , which also owns the land on which most Canadian airports are situated . In many cases , not-for-profit entities are tasked with maintaining the airports and overseeing their day-to-day operations . As this is the case , many Canadian airports still rely on government funding to complete capital projects .
In the case of St . John Airport , a government-funded capital project was announced in 2018 .
The Governments of Canada and New Brunswick teamed up to invest CAD $ 14 million ( US $ 10.8 million ) to rehabilitate the two runways and the main taxiway , including improvements to the drainage systems to optimize operations during wet conditions . The larger runway , 05 / 23 , also received new centerline lighting .
In 2022 , more funding was allocated to improve safety in the airport . The CAD $ 1.8 million ( US $ 1.38 million ) budget yielded a brand-new Aircraft Rescue Firefighting ( ARFF ) vehicle and new snowplow , a facility to house the new ARFF vehicle , and a better machine for measuring the Canadian Runway Friction Index ( CRFI ) rating on wet runways .
For the Canadian Government , it was an opportunity to drive economic growth during a difficult time by investing in the country ’ s airports . The pandemic “ highlighted the important role Canada ’ s local and regional
20 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2023 www . airwaysmag . com