Sudbury not yet on WestJet's radar: more passenger traffic needed to attract another air carrier.
Author | Migneault, Jonathan |
The Greater Sudbury Airport will need to see significant growth in pas-senger traffic before WestJet Airlines considers expanding flights to Sudbury says airport CEO Robert Johnston.
"Passenger growth drives everything in our business," he said.
Last year, the airport accommodated 240,045 passengers, down from 246,462 in the previous year.
"Over the last year and a half I would have to admit that we've seen a bit of a struggling Sudbury economy" Johnston said. "We're hoping that we see some improvement in that heading into 2015."
Johnston said the airport is at the mercy of Sudbury's cyclical mining economy. When times are good, more people book flights, but in mining downturns, passenger numbers also take a dive.
"There's some small indication that the mining sector may be on the increase, so we'll just have to hang tight," he said.
To attract WestJet or other carriers, Johnston said the airport would need to reach the 350,000 passenger mark.
While numbers could stagnate until mid-2015. Johnston said the airport has seen growth in other areas.
Last year, the airport opened its 230-acre northeast quadrant for business.
Businesses interested in setting up shop at the airport can do so without paying any development fees.
The lots--available for lease--are fully serviced by water, sewer and hydro.
Johnston said he expects most tenants looking to be part of the aviation sector to take advantage of the prime location near the runway.
But there is potential for other sectors to use the space as well.
Last year, the City of North Bay opened its airport to a wider variety of businesses with its 600-acre Airport Industrial Business Park.
So far, four companies--three of which operate in the mining supply and services sector--have taken up residence in the industrial park's southeastern quadrant.
The three mining supply and services companies--Mine Hoist International, Barrie Hard Chrome Plating and Drill-er's Edge--all had a presence in North Bay, but expanded their operations with the new space.
Driller's Edge, which later became a subsidiary of Edmonton-based Di-Corp, expanded to a 25,000 square foot building where it was able to employ 20 people.
For Johnston, one of the most exciting developments at the Greater Sudbury Airport is a planned 34,000-square-foot hangar that will house Discovery Aviation's flight academy and fire detection business, along with a research team from the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
The hangar--which is...
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