Kitimat council has unanimously approved the extension of the District of Kitimat Airport Transportation Subsidy Program until Oct. 31, 2022.
Designed to subsidize travel between Kitimat and the Northwest Regional Airport near Terrace, the program first began in 2012 and continued until Oct. 31 this year.
The program supports anyone 60 and older living in Kitimat, any people with disabilities, caregivers and economically challenged individuals and families.
“My recollection that this is a fairly modest cost but is of significant benefit for those that can’t secure a ride to the airport,” said Coun. Mario Feldhoff when speaking about the extension.
In 2020 the subsidy paid out $4,635 and in 2021 the program paid out just $200. In council’s agenda they stated the reasoning that the fund distributed so little money in 2020 was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
District staff said the taxi rate for the roughly 55 kilometre one-way trip to the airport from Kitimat is roughly $130.