Jason Teakle
BRANT NEWS

The County of Brant will help fund the Brantford Municipal Airport in 2013.

The municipality will contribute $42,000 to the airport from its 2013 budget as seed funding to help with the cost of building new hangars.

“They need seed money so they can build new hangars as they need them,” Brant Coun. Cliff Atfield said. “As soon as they build them, there will be airplanes in them. Rental fees in new hangars will allow the airport to generate funds for runways and maintenance.”

The Brantford Municipal Airport Commission has asked the county for a total of $300,000 over five years. Councillors allocated the $42,000 for 2013 during a recent budget meeting.

“It allows them to stand alone financially and it will hopefully make them sustainable,” Atfield said. “The county would lose if we lost the airport.”

Coun. Steve Schmitt, who formerly sat on the Brantford Municipal Airport Commission, said it is important for the county to fund the airport.

“My push for it is that we do see the benefits,” Schmitt said. “The airport is kitty-corner to our new business park. It will be a boon to the business park. It is a minor amount for what the potential is for income.”

The County of Brant receives tax assessment from the airport – which is located within county borders – but the facility is owned by the City of Brantford.