Aviation View - Oct 2023

17 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 AI RPORT MANAGEMENT COUNCI L OF ONTARIO A key point about airports and their financial viability is that they must remain operational even in the absence of commercial air or cargo operations because they provide essential services. Local airports are often only associated with being gateways to the world due to their affiliation with travel, but they offer communities so much more. One can simply reflect upon the medical evacuation (medevac) flights transporting critically ill patients, disaster evacuation flights carrying Ontarians to safety, seasonal wildfire suppression activities, and assisting law enforcement in their public safety operations. It is indisputable that airports are at the centre of these very important public services that provide immense social value to communities across the province. Communities oftentimes highlight the economic value of having a readily accessible airport when promoting their municipalities as a place to invest in and conduct business. Indeed, one can easily perceive the financial benefits of airports when local businesses in Ontario expand their reach to national, continental, and international markets by way of the seamless transit of goods. Certainly, the resilience of e-commerce and its reliance on a steadfast transportation network exemplifies this point. Having an airport in proximity results in robust movement of people too. Local airports help facilitate the exchange of innovative ideas as well as open areas of potential exploration and development thus making nearby municipalities attractive for both start-up potential and capital investments. One needs to only reflect upon the advantages that tourism brings to municipalities and the revenue generated from flight schools too. Those employed by airports as well as those providing contracted services often bring specialized