New funding for 10 N.W.T. aviation operators to support vital supply chain to communities

Ten airlines and fixed wing operators in the Northwest Territories will have a share of almost $3 million the territorial government is making available to support the northern supply chain.

Many communities in the N.W.T. rely on aircraft not only for passenger travel, but for the transportation of food and medical supplies among other things.

The new money follows $8.7 million in federal government funding to N.W.T. airlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines in the N.W.T. have beenhit particularly hard during the pandemic as borders closed and all but essential travel was eliminated.

According to a news release Friday, the governmentof the N.W.T. has provided more than $13.6 million to the northern aviation industry since March 2020.

"While this is an important step that will help these companies to stay in the air in the short-term, we must continue to work with our federal partners to ensure that longer-term support is available to support the aviation industry," stated Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek in the news release.

The money will be distributed as follows:

• Summit Air $1.2 million.
• Buffalo Airways $397,000.
• South Nahanni Airways $164,000.
• Landa Aviation $81,000.
• Great Slave Helicopters $497,000.
• Acasta HeliFlight $319,000.
• Denendeh Helicopters $132,000.
• K'ahsho Got'ineHelicopters $42,000.
• Sahtu Helicopters $38,000.
• DehchoRegional Helicopters $29,000.