Kamloops, Kelowna airports biggest winners in latest government COVID funding program

Kelowna International Airport and Kamloops Airport are getting $720,000 each in provincial funding to help them keep operating for another year.

They are two of 55 airports in B.C. sharing $16.5 million in funding to pay for things like operating and maintenance costs, payroll, rent and other overhead costs from April 1 of this year until the end of March 2022.

"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 Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure news release.

Five other airports in the Thompson and Okanagan regions will also get funding including Vernon Regional Airport ($360,000), Merritt ($90,000), Princeton and Oliver ($48,000 each) and Revelstoke ($180,000).

Another $6.2 million is being given to 20 inter-city bus companies, including four in the Thompson and Okanagan regions.

Big White gets almost $21,000, Mountain Man Mike gets $136,800, Silver City Stagelines receives $189,675 and Thompson Valley Charter Ltd. will get $123,624.

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