While the Wings of Saskatchewan Conference held in Yorkton last week was focused on aviation in the province, airports and air service are just one aspect of transportation in the province noted George Stamatinos, Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure.
Stamatinos said the Ministry deals with all areas of transportation from highways and bridges to grid roads through river ferries and airports. In each case the province is looking at how to best invest dollars to facilitate the dual needs of supporting economic activity, and those of moving people.
In terms of the provincial economy, Stamatinos said the transportation system is critical as the first step on the way to interprovincial and international markets.
"Our province is a trading province," he reminded, noting "70 per cent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the result of trade."
In many cases projects are undertaken in consideration of trade implications, offered Stamatinos. He pointed to the recently opened Phase I of the Yorkton West Truck Route, funded through the Building Canada Fund was undertaken "to improve our trade position in a world context."
With an eye to economic impact, Stamatinos said the Ministry knows airports are important.
"Without aviation how do we attract foreign investment?" he asked, adding, "they need to have ready access to aviation services."
Against the backdrop of trade importance, Stamatinos said the Department is creating an overall transportation strategy for the province.
That strategy of course starts with roads which Stamatinos said need to "ensure we can't connect to national systems and international systems.
"We need to create a rural system that serves our industries and our people."
While there are some 70,000 kilometres of blacktop in the province, and another 200,000 kilometres of gravel road in the 298 rural municipalities, Stamatinos added, "we can't lose sight of how our railway system and our aviation system feeds into that."
In terms of aviation, there are two distinct systems in place. In the north the province owns and operates 17 airports with an annual operating budget of $1.9 million, explained Stamatinos.
In southern Saskatchewan another 148 airports exist operated by local municipalities. The provinces funding of those facilities is limited to the capital money available through the Community Airport Program. The program initiated four years ago makes available $500,000 annually to approved projects on a 50/50 cost-share basis with municipalities.
Stamatinos said the $500,000 was an arbitrary number which mirrors the provincial dollars available to short-line railways.
"There was no science to it, no analysis," he said, adding that while 20 airports have received dollars through CAP since its inception "every year the program has been over subscribed," meaning requests out stripped dollars available.
While the need is greater than dollars, Stamatinos noted the Ministry believes the investment it has made through CAP have been good dollars spent.
"We see some real benefit from it It's meant some real improvements to our regional airports and some of our local ones," he said. He added Yorkton's Airport accessed $400,000 in CAP funding this year.
Stamatinos said moving forward the Ministry knows the aviation sector would like to see significantly more dollars targeted at southern airports, noting one figure suggested has been $10 million a year for the next decade.
"We're all very good identifying the cost side," he said, adding what is needed now is to make the economic case for such an investment.
Stamatinos said it is imperative the aviation sector make the economic case why the $10 million would be better invested in southern airports than areas such as health care, education, or the road system.
"What are the social economic benefits?" he asked those attending the Conference. He challenged the sector "to spend more time on the benefits."Stamatinos said it's nothing the Department isn't doing in other areas, noting they are holding up the economic benefit yardstick when looking at highway investments, whether it's Regina to Balgonie, or Willowbrook to Melville. He said ultimately it will come down "to where the best investment is made from a provincial point-of-view."
It's not a case of arguing the perceived need for $10 million annually, said Stamatinos.
"I'm not debating that number, but how does it compare with other sectors wanting money?" he asked.
Regardless of the impact, Ron Evinou, chair of the Yorkton Airport Authority said the $500,000 made available through CAP seems to have little to do with the reality of costs. He pointed to a proposed upgrade and resurfacing of the paved runway at the Yorkton Airport, and its anticipated cost of $3.6 million."How do you reconcile that?" he asked.Stamatinos reiterated the $500,000 was a number that was established without any solid reasons behind the amount.
"There was not a lot of science behind it. No science in fact," he stated again. "It was just an amount of money that was available."
When CAP was established "we hadn't done that analysis," in terms of needs, said Stamatinos, adding "we're
taking much more of an economic perspective (now)."
Evinou countered that economic impact is only part of the equation, noting southern airports went through "40, or 50-years of neglect," when Saskatchewan was a perennial have-not province and the money was not available. "Now we've got to pay the piper."
Cheryl Denesowych with Yorkton Aircraft Service, and part of the Conference organizing committee, said while the initial $500,000 for CAP may have had "no science" behind it, she said the program 小蓝视频 over subscribed each year shows something.
"That's real market data," she reasoned, adding it was " a determination of need."
Stamatinos said the sector has "made it clear the need is greater," but added the trucking sector makes it clear there is a need for greater highways investment too.
Again Stamatinos challenged the aviation sector to have their customers make the same argument of need to the government.
"If we heard it from customers as well it would significantly change things That's what government needs to hear," he said.
