News - Stephenville International Airport

If the Stephenville Airport wants to receive funds from government, they must submit a professionally prepared business plan.

This is what Mayor Tom O'Brien, Councillors Darren Roberts and Bob Byrnes reported back to council after a meeting last Thursday with provincial Transportation Minister Trevor Taylor and the areas two MHAs, Joan Burke and Tony Cornect.

The meeting was requested after last Monday's announcement that the provincial and federal governments, as part of an infrastructure plan to boost the economy, would give $3 million dollars to the Deer Lake Regional Airport for a runway expansion project.

The province has previously said it does not fund airports.

An additional $3 million for the expansion will be given to the airport for the project from the federal government. The Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority will also invest $3 million into the expansion as well.

Mayor O'Brien told the members of Stephenville council at a meeting later on Thursday that the meeting with government was productive, but now the airport and town must work quickly to put its own plan in place to seek funding for its needs.

"It's evident that the provincial government is into assisting airports now from a financial standpoint," said the mayor.

"The onus is now on us to work very closely with the airport corporation board and officials and get a professional business plan in place which identifies what the Stephenville Airport's goal is, the market that we serve, and how we plan to achieve that."

Coun. Laura Aylward questioned why the provincial government would need to see a plan for the airport. The mayor said the request is justified when seeking an investment and that he has no doubt an attractive plan can be created for the airport.

She said she believed the mayor and partners could put together a strong plan for the airport, but called the investment into the Deer Lake Airport a duplication of services and waste of taxpayer money.

"They've been fooling around for the last number of years with a $350,000 line of credit, which is a joke. They can't find money for a few oil tanks. This is ridiculous."

Coun. Aylward said now that the provincial government has decided it is in the airport business, the Stephenville airport expects to be treated fairly.

"I think there's a conspiracy on the go to shut down this airport and its got to stop," she said.

Coun. Byrnes told council the meeting with government almost got confrontational, when he asked the ministers to declare government's intentions about the airport.

"I said, look, come clean ... are we wasting our time going back to you with this proposal for the Stephenville airport? The political will as percepted through the public is not for Stephenville."

Coun. Byrnes said both ministers took great exception to his comments and said those were not government's intentions, but if they wanted to receive funding they would have to put together a proposal.

Coun. Byrnes said he has no doubt the Deer Lake airport put together a good business proposal and is sure Stephenville airport can do the same.

Mayor O'Brien said the airport has an opportunity it never had before.

"The provincial government has clearly indicated they are prepared to put money into airports," he said. "Up until a few days ago that was always questionable."