Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long (Image: Danielle McCreadie)
News of Air Canada’s decision to suspend service at the Saint John Airport comes as no surprise to the local MP.
Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long said in a statement late Tuesday that the move is “deeply disappointing” but not unexpected.
Long said he has been working with the airport, airlines, Transport Minister Marc Garneau, Saint John Mayor Don Darling, and the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce to monitor the pandemic’s impact on YSJ.
“We have also been working closely with these stakeholders in order to advocate for the federal support YSJ needs in order to ensure it is able to resume passenger operations as soon as airlines that serviced it … are able to restore the routes in our region that they have been forced to suspend due to lack to demand driven by the pandemic,” he said
Long points to more than $450 million announced in last week’s federal economic update for airports like Saint John.
The MP said his team is focused on delivering financial relief to the Saint John Airport, adding he will not allow the pandemic to undermine the recent growth at the airport.
“YSJ is a key node in our province’s economy,” said Long. “It is critical that this hub of interprovincial and international trade remain connected to the rest of the global economy via a direct air link.
The service suspension is set to begin Jan. 11, 2021.
My statement regarding Air Canada's suspension of flights to @YourSJAirport: pic.twitter.com/XEgXAsYiBr
— Wayne Long, M.P. (@MPWayneLong) December 9, 2020
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