Red Deer County solidified its support for the Red Deer Regional Airport Authority (RDRAA) with a three-year modified deal at its recent council meeting.
The three-year contract, effective Jan. 1 changes county funding from 65 per cent of the annual municipal property taxes of airport properties up to a limit of $200,000 to a fixed $180,000 per year payment. Payments will now occur in January (40 per cent) and July (60 per cent) instead of March and October.
“We have been impressed by the growth at the regional airport,” said Jim Wood, Red Deer County mayor. “With increases of 700 per cent in booked flights, and growth already seen for 2014, the airport is becoming more sustainable over time.”
Wood noted that growth at the airport benefits the county and called the facility an “economic driver.”
“The county has always been supportive of the RDRAA and with this contract fixing their funding, they can better predict their cash flow,” said Wood. “They have a very good management team in place that is getting noticed nationwide.”
R J Steenstra, Red Deer Regional Airport Authority CEO was pleased with the passing of the three-year contract.
“This is a positive step for the airport,” said Steenstra. “The contract will provide long-term resources that will allow us to move forward on some of the initiatives we have planned so far.”
The contract will run to the end of December 2016.
