Pembroke Regional Airport. Photo credit: Justin Baumgardner, MBC
Pembroke Regional Airport has seen a spike in activity, and vice chair Murray Rutz says it’s a step in the right direction to potentially expand the facility.
In the quarter three report, Rutz highlighted a 241 per cent increase in charter flights with most of them being from the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for tree surveys in both Ontario and Quebec, but also says the airport provides a critical artery for many different industries.
“It’s a critical transportation hub for Renfrew County, supporting medivac operations, military exercises, business aviation, tourism, and more,” he says. “The airport operates 24 hour a day, seven days a week and offers a 5,000-foot runway capable of handling a variety of aircrafts.”
Quarter three report highlights the increased usage of Pembroke’s airport by over 240 per cent.
According to the report, the airport saw a total of 1,044 aircraft movements in the third quarter; including 424 charter flights, 408 civilian flights, 192 DND flights, four MNR flights, 14 Medivac flights and two OPP flights.
Rutz says with the increased usage of the airport they’d like to look at expansion, but that will be based on a few factors, one of them being attracting a private company.
“There is always hope we attract a private carrier,” he says. “Those options are always there, and the commission is always looking for businesses with any ideas to take advantage of this asset in our area.”
The airport serves the Upper Ottawa Valley, and Rutz says it’s the only certified airport between Carp and North Bay.