Three weeks after announcing $16.5 million in COVID-19 relief funding for regional airports across the province, the B.C. Government says Kamloops Airport will be getting $720,000.

The money is meant to help regional airports pay for things like operating and maintenance costs, payroll, rent, and other overhead costs until the end of March 2022.

YKA Managing Director Ed Ratuski told NL News earlier this month this money will help as revenue is down about 50 per cent because of COVID-19 restrictions on travel.

“Its good to hear that they are looking at supporting the airport industry and the aviation industry like in short order,” he said. “We’ve been waiting since November for information on federal funding. Its actually good news to hear a program that will move quickly to get the money where it belongs.”

“Any funds we get out of this program will go towards supporting the ongoing operation of the site.”

Ratuski says most of the revenue at YKA comes from airline landing fees and passenger terminal fees – both of which have largely dried up with fewer travellers these days.

“We have the firefighters out here, and that is an expensive operation to run and that is where airports are really starting to see those fixed costs,” he added. “That is a fee you see on your ticket, which is $9 per passenger. When you have 90 per cent fewer passengers, you have 90 per cent less revenue to fund that program and that’s where the provincial money really starts to kick in.”

Kelowna International Airport is also getting $720,000 in provincial funding, the maximum available to each facility. Other Thompson and Okanagan area airports getting money include Vernon Regional Airport ($360,000), Merritt ($90,000), Princeton and Oliver ($48,000 each), and Revelstoke ($180,000).

“This funding will provide a lifeline to [Kelowna Airport] to maintain critical airport services that support cargo operations and medevac services while we wait for commercial air service to recover,” Sam Samaddar, airport director for Kelowna International Airport said, in a statement.

Bus companies getting $6.2 million in provincial funding

The B.C. Government also says another $6.2 million in provincial funding is going to 20 inter-city bus companies, including Thompson Valley Charters, who are getting $123,624.

Co-owner Roger Nadeau says this is welcome news as it has been a very difficult past 12 months for his company.

“As for how hard its hit, probably 90 per cent of our revenue we’ve lost from last year,” he said on NL Newsday. “But we’re carrying on and we’re still here and nothing is changing.”

Dave Earle, the President of the BC Trucking Association also told NL News that $10.7 million in previously announced COVID relief funding for inter-city bus companies did not include charter buses noting that was the majority of the sector that was in need of government assistance.

“When you think about the charter buses, the team buses, the travel. Those companies can’t access those funds,” he said. “So we’re still waiting to hear from government. We’re hopeful that there is more to come in terms of some support for the tourism sector to act as a bit of bridge.”

Meanwhile, Thompson Valley Charters is in the process of launching a new Kamloops to Edmonton bus route in partnership with E-bus. The first trip goes on May 3.

– With files from Jeff Andreas