The City of Timmins, Ontario is embarking on a runway and taxiway resurfacing project at the city-owned airport (CYTS) thanks to a $5.085 million grant from Transport Canada’s Airside Capital Assistance Program (ACAP). The remaining funds will come from the City of Timmins, whose airport reserves account currently stands at $6,801,365.

The work is in response to an assessment that considered the existing surfaces were “nearing end of life and require major rehabilitation.”

Runway 03-21, the main runway, was approved for the grant, but not Runway 10-28, which was not in as bad a condition as the other one. It will nevertheless be resurfaced at the time as the other surfaces, paid for completely out of the City’s airport reserve fund.

“This is going to take a good chunk of our reserves…obviously,” said airport manager Dave Dayment. “If there’s going to be a year to do it for lack of traffic then … this is probably the year to do it.”

The project is slated to begin as soon as possible, possibly by the end of July, and is estimated to take three months to complete. Paving of the runways will take place consecutively, but Dayment estimates the airport will be closed for three to five days when paving at runway intersections takes place.

Timmins airport serves as an administration and maintenance base for Air Creebec.

“The airport is obviously a very, very valuable asset for the community and it shows that Timmins is definitely a hub for Northeastern Ontario and points north as well,” said Timmins mayor George Pirie.

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