Airport names former Kelowna mayor and councillor to advisory committee

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – The group that advises Canada’s largest municipally-run airport will soon be joined by a couple of new faces familiar to people in the Central Okanagan.

Kelowna’s former mayor Walter Gray and former city councillor Andre Blanleil, along with industry representative Meryle Corbett were all appointed to four-year terms on the Kelowna Internnational Airport advisory committee.

“The committee is chaired by Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran… and provides collaboration for the entire region which is integral to the future of Kelowna International Airport and the region's economic prosperity,” said airport director Sam Samadar.

Reflecting the airport’s regional importance, the committee is made up of representatives from up and down the valley, including the communities of Vernon, Salmon Arm, Peachland, Lake Country and Penticton.

Other representatives are selected from the chambers of commerce in Kelowna, Summerland, Vernon, the West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, as well as the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission and Tourism Kelowna.

Samadar said in a press release that Kelowna Airport is one of the ten busiest in Canada, providing 2,730 jobs and over $600 million in economic output.

The airport saw 1.6 million passengers pass through its gates last year and is embarking on a $40-million expansion of the outbound baggage hall.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.