KENORA — The Minister of Northern Development is weighing in on the announcement that Bearskin Airlines will cease scheduled passenger air service to three Northwestern Ontario communities this spring.
Greg Rickford said he's disappointed in the decision, but believes passenger air service is still viable in the region.
Bearskin's service to Dryden, Fort Frances and Kenora will be terminated on May 11.
Parent company Perimeter Aviation, based in Winnipeg, has blamed extremely low passenger volumes, saying its aircraft carried an average of only two passengers per flight to the three towns over the past year.
Rickford, the MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, issued a statement Tuesday saying he understands that air passenger volume has not returned to pre-COVID 19 levels, but regional air transportation remains a vital service for residents of the three communities and for the North as a whole.
"In speaking to economic development corporations around the riding, there is data to support the fact that there is a significant amount of people in Kenora-Rainy River who travel out of Winnipeg and Thunder Bay," he said.
"With that in mind, I believe that attracting a commercial operator back into our towns and cities remains a viable opportunity."
In an interview with Dougall Media, Rickford said that just before the COVID pandemic arrived, he was told that up to 80,000 people from Kenora-Rainy River were driving to Winnipeg alone to catch flights each year.
"So there's a lot of volume coming out of the two towns and the city of Kenora, and it's unfortunate that that can't be captured. Again, in fairness to Perimeter/Bearskin, a good portion of those would not likely be those who they might serve, because they're obviously heading to Winnipeg and perhaps Thunder Bay in an effort to go to destinations well beyond Toronto and Winnipeg."
The minister said he will continue to do what he can to ensure the region has effective and efficient modes of transportation, and cited his role in the extension of Ontario Northland bus service to the Northwest in 2020.
Rickford noted, though, that Ontario Northland is a Crown corporation, and when asked what role the government might play in restoring air service, he replied "At this point, it's just far too early to try to understand what specific steps that we can take."
He said Perimeter/Bearskin "made a business decision, and in the wake of that, my responsibility is to take a look at what other opportunities we might have, and ultimately try to understand how the cost structure could be lower...and try to understand if we can pique the curiosity of other commercial airlines to take a look at us."
Dryden Mayor Jack Harrison has stated that his city is committed to finding an alternative carrier, and expects to work on this in conjunction with community leaders in Fort Frances and Kenora.
