fact FILE

Yellowknife 446,777 (244,979 in 2021)

Hay River 15,658 (10,859 in 2021)

Norman Wells 38,346 (43,264 in 2021)

Inuvik 60,842 (46,000 in 2021)

Fort Smith 15,348 (8,391 in 2021)

Fort Simpson 38,115 (37,156)

By Derek

There were 81,117 aircraft movements in the Northwest Territories in 2022, a 28 per cent climb over 63,406 take offs and landings in 2021, according to Statistics Canada. The federal data agency does not include every NWT airport when tabulating those figures, however. The numbers are based on airports in the territory with NAV Canada services and other selected airports.

Flight activity in the capital city tapered off between 2021 and 2022, however. There were 41,927 take offs and landings in Yellowknife in 2022, a four per cent decline from 43,677 aircraft movements in 2021. Yet passenger numbers at the city’s airport boomed to 446,777, according to the Department of Infrastructure. That would mark an 82.4 per cent rebound over 244,979 passengers in 2021. It indicates fuller flights as the airline industry recovers from Covid-19.

In Inuvik, there were approximately 8,978 aircraft movements in 2022, a 15.7 per cent jump from 7,757 take offs and landings in 2021.

Aircraft movements plummeted in Norman Wells, where there were 6,663 in 2022 compared to 11,972 the previous year. The Sahtu hub, it should be noted, had numerous holes in its record-keeping last year. There were several months when certain categories had no reporting. Based on other months of the year from those particular categories — if consistent — there may be 100-130 aircraft movements unaccounted for, which would only make a minor dent in the 44.3 per cent drop based on known figures.

The GNWT has budgetted $18 million specifically for territorial airport operations in 2023-24 after spending $17.2 million a year earlier. Among the Department of Infrastructure’s capital projects this year, $20 million will go toward the runway extension at the Inuvik Airport.

Flights cut, flights added

Canadian North announced in late April that it would cease Tuesday and Friday fights to Norman Wells. This news came a couple of days after the federal government granted

Lease/rental: $2,293,509

Landing and other fees: $4,093,631 (landing, terminal and apron parking)

Concession: $134,818

Total: $6,521,958 the airline permission to make alterations to its schedule due to business hardships. NWT Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister

Caroline Wawzonek expressed her disappointment over this development on social media.

“Would be great for the federal Transport minister to come back to the NWT and see the challenge this creates for residents who are air travel dependent in the five Sahtu communities, not to mention huge impacts to tourism operators who are now left scrambling. Makes it hard to celebrate Tourism Week,” she wrote.

A few weeks later, Wawzonek put together a more upbeat post after representatives of the airline met with her, other senior government officials and delegates from NWT Tourism.

“I now know (Canadian North) are working diligently to minimize the impacts of route changes and we have discussed areas of shared

Source: Department of Infrastructure priorities for federal engagement,” she stated. “I hope to see positive progress in the North’s air industry over in the medium term.”

The Inuvialuit Development Group in the NWT’s Beaufort Delta region and the Makivik Corporation in Nunavik, Que., jointly own Canadian North.

In May, Air Canada revealed that it would offer non-stop flights between Yellowknife and Toronto three days per week year-round, beginning in December.

In January, Air Canada stated that its Yellowknife to Edmonton route would resume in June, flights that were cut the previous October. While there was no mention of an Air Canada Yellowknife to Calgary route returning after it was cancelled in November, Canadian North filled that void, alongside the already established WestJet, in February.