Saugeen Municipal Airport. (image from council files)
Another municipally-owned airport in the Grey Bruce region could be heading for a sale.
Brockton is currently in the process of pondering the future of airport, and has asked its partners West Grey and Hanover to undertake public processes to consider a sale.
West Grey council reviewed an official request from Brockton during a meeting Tuesday.
“The past few years have been financially challenging for many municipalities that have faced high inflation, rising interest rates and a delay in updating property tax assessment cycles,” says Brockton in its correspondence to West Grey.
West Grey Coun. Geoffrey Shea proposed the municipality divest themselves of the airport.
“Us owning a share of the Saugeen Airport, would be the equivalent of us owning a share of the Varney Speedway. It just has nothing to do with what a municipality ought to be doing. I think Saugeen Municipal Airport may be viable and useful to a small section of our population, and there is every likelihood it could continue to be operated as a private entity,” says Shea.
He adds now is the time to look at the services they are providing for the majority of their residents.
West Grey council approved requesting a staff report detailing all aspects of the Saugeen Airport and the impacts of either the sale or dissolution of the organization.