North Bay City Councillor Chris Mayne says they’ll have two requests at next week’s council meeting regarding financial issues due to COVID-19 at the Jack Garland Airport.

The airport board is requesting that the rules on this years municipal commitment of $400,000 to the airport be changed so that funds can be used for operating instead of capital.

“The airport does have some reserves of their own to get through May and June. But after that there are challenges as the airport will be out of cash,” Mayne says.

Mayne says once those funds have been used providing there’s council approval and subject to any resumption of service by the air carriers, the airport could still face a monthly deficit as high as $200,000 and is also seeking further support from Council to potentially cover those costs.

He says if council does nothing the airport could close and soon.

“It could be as early as July 1 if there’s no commitment of support from the city. If we give them the existing $400,000 and let them apply it to operations that keeps the airport solvent until the end of August or September,” he says.

Mayne says there will also be a motion for the feds to provide assistance should the suspension of air service continue.

(photo by yyb.ca)

Filed under: City Council, Jack Garland Airport North Bay