Improvements to Canada's outdated northern airports overdue, auditor says

Canada's top accountant is calling on the federalgovernment to kickstart much-needed improvements to airports in Canada's remote North.

In his spring report to Parliament, auditor general MichaelFerguson says the government is well aware of deficiencies at theairports, including flickering runway lighting and outdatednavigation systems.

But he says Transport Canada has failed to take the lead infixing the problems and making necessary upgrades.

Many northern communities rely on air transportation as theironly means of getting fresh food, medicine and other supplies.

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$101M in upgrades needed

While Transport Canada's Airports Capital Assistance Program hasan annual budget of $38 million available for airport safety-relatedprojects, auditors say only about $15 million was spent on remotenorthern airports over the past three years.

Their report identified $101 million in needed upgrades at 41 ofthe 117 remote airports they examined.

"Transport Canada had the information it needed to assess theinfrastructure challenges remote northern airports face," thereport concluded.

"However, the department did not take the lead by working withothers to address these infrastructure challenges."

Transport Canada announced late last year that it would step uptransportation infrastructure spending in the North.

But the auditor general says the department has yet to providedetails of planned projects.