The Allan J MacEachen Regional Airport: The Sky is the Limit when we Collaborate.
One thing we do really well in Cape Breton and the Strait Region - Is we know how to come together in times of Crisis.
This rang true when a proposal to build a “$18 Million” publicly funded airport by Cabot Links owners was submitted to the Province of Nova Scotia and the Federal Government of Canada.
In June of 2019, we discovered there was a private application made to the Provincial and Federal Governments for a publicly funded seasonal airport to be built on behalf of Cabot Links owners. The Municipalities in Eastern Nova Scotia and other Regional/Provincial Stakeholders mobilized out of concern. We all wanted to ensure the interests of our “year-round regional airport” were being fully considered. Were the proposal to proceed, our present service provider, Celtic Air Services, would have lost 80% of jet traffic when golfing clients would be diverted to another airport located one hour’s drive away, and gone bankrupt. Then, municipalities and other air access stakeholders would have been left with no service provider, and eventually, a costly “stranded asset.” On July 25, 2019, the Cabot Links proposal to build an airport in Inverness was cancelled by Federal Minister Bernadette Jordan.
This outcome was the result of lobbying, letters of support, meetings, social media pleas, petitions, and old-fashioned public pressure. Many joined this fight: the Allan J MacEachen Airport Committee (with elected officials from Inverness, Richmond and the Town), local Chambers of Commerce, respected Eskasoni Elder Albert Marshall, Strait of Canso Superport Corporation, the Tax Payers Federation of Canada, the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, the Tourism Industry of Nova Scotia Association, the large majority of Municipalities in Eastern Nova Scotia, as well as a multitude of citizens who signed petitions and were active in writing letters to the editor and social media posts. Without this massive mobilization effort - we’d not have been able to save our Regional airport or the local business that manages it. (NOTE: Inverness County Council remained neutral on the subject, and no motions were made to support/reject the Cabot Links Airport Proposal). See the letters of support on the Allan J MacEachen Regional Airport Website.
The spirit of regional collaboration continues. New ownership models for this air asset is under consideration. It is recognized that the current ownership model does not reflect the regional function of this airport. It is in the best interest of all municipalities and airport stakeholders to continue to fight for the best interests of the Allan J MacEachen Regional Airport, as it is an important transportation asset that is part of our Transportation Hub of Port, Road, Rail, and Air. To lose our regional air asset would greatly disadvantage our economic future.