SYDNEY, N.S. — Officials at the J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport feel the federal government is not very familiar with Cape Breton’s major travel hub.
In a story in Thursday's edition of the Cape Breton Post, the federal government said they have provided help to the airport. Sydney airport CEO Mike MacKinnon said the programs mentioned don’t make a difference to their situation. They are receiving no help and are operating on reserves.
In the Thursday story, Katherine Cuplinskas, press secretary for the office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, said since the beginning of the pandemic, the air sector has received over $1.7 billion in support through the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and based on the wage subsidy registry, Sydney airport has been able to benefit from the program. As well, she said small airports — like the Sydney airport — will have their rent payments waved for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
MacKinnon said the Sydney Airport Authority is a not-for-profit organization operating under the Nova Scotia Societies Act. All of the airport’s buildings, facilities and land are owned by the Sydney Airport Authority. As a result, the airport authority doesn’t pay any rent to the federal government.
“So there are actually no rent payments to waive, something the feds should be well aware of,” he said. “We will see no benefit from the waiving of federal rent payments, something that larger airports in Canada will receive.”
MacKinnon said as far as the wage subsidy, it goes to any business that has suffered huge losses in revenue, so not just airports.
The fact that airports, airlines, tourism and businesses get it is simply a testament to how severe their losses have been due to the pandemic.
“We certainly appreciate having access to it but let’s be clear it is not something that only we get. Hundreds of businesses big and small across the country that have been decimated are getting it,” he said. “It is not some special program for airports.”
For months now, MacKinnon has been advocating for the federal government to step in with long-promised help and the need for a recovery plan for the air sector.
On Thursday, Cuplinskas clarified the CEO of the Sydney airport is right, the airport doesn’t qualify for rent relief.
Cuplinskas reiterated previous comments that any further taxpayer support for the air sector will prioritize refunding Canadians for cancelled flights, retaining and reinstating regional routes in Nova Scotia and across Canada and protecting jobs and workers across the air sector and maintaining a vibrant, competitive Canadian air sector and Canadian airlines is a priority.
Sharon-Montgomery-Dupe is a health and breaking news reporter at the Cape Breton Post.
