The Alberta government is looking at re-opening runways at the Edmonton Garrison to medevac flights, hoping to replace the flights currently bound for the soon-to-close Edmonton City Centre airport.
Deputy premier and liaison to the Canadian Forces Doug Horner confirmed the government is kicking the tires on the idea, but he stressed it is in the very early stages.
“We are very, very preliminary at this point.”
Horner said the plan will only work if the military is on board and if using the runway won’t cause problems at the garrison.
“We are not going to do anything that is going to be detrimental to the operations, the training, the movement of troops and the fact that it is a military base.”
He also said any potential costs would be the province’s responsibility.
“The military shouldn't be required to pay anything for this.”
Horner said the province is also considering the prospect of relocating the flights to the Villeneuve Airport in Sturgeon County.
He said the Sturgeon Hospital would become an important part of the system if either airport is used.
“Certainly if either the garrison or the Villeneuve becomes the alternate landing areas Sturgeon becomes somewhat critical.”
Emile Faucher, a deputy public affairs officer with the Canadian Forces, confirmed in an email the idea was under review, but also stressed there was very little to report so far.
“[The Department of Defence} is in the process of reviewing the potential impacts this would have on Canadian Forces operations at CFB Edmonton.”
The runways at the Edmonton Garrison were first built in the 1940s and were closed when the army took over the facility in the mid 1990s.
Edmonton City council voted in 2009 for a phased closure of the city centre airport and the first of two runways has already closed.
