St. Thomas Municipal Airport has landed a $1.1 million investment to improve operations at the municipally owned facility. The FedDev Ontario funding was announced Friday and is to support regional connectivity and jobs for economic recovery.
The money will be used to construct 8,000 square metres of ramp space to accommodate the parking, fueling and servicing of regional aircraft. It is hoped the investment will encourage industrial clients to locate near the airport and throughout Elgin county.
In a release, St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston advised, “This significant investment will support growth of industrial clients and development of commercial activities within the Elgin County region and will help to position the St. Thomas Municipal Airport for future economic investment.”
The airport serves industry and the public and has the capacity to handle small jets as well as the largest aircraft used by the Canadian Armed Forces with access to flight school and training facilities, aircraft maintenance and repair facilities and customs and immigration services.
Late last year, Smart Aviation Maintenance leased space at the airport to perform work on a pair of planes formerly leased to Passion Air of Ghana, West Africa.
The planes were returned to Bombardier Capital of Canada in December of 2020 and then flown to St. Thomas from Toronto.
