The electrical systems had also reached the end of their lifespan, with cables frequently developing faults after frost cycles. “We decided to do a full rehab of basically everything,” says Jay. BUILDING IN A NORTHERN CLIMATE Karine Potvin, Project Coordinator, describes aviation as “the lifeline for northern communities,” emphasizing that it supports everything from medical transportation to tourism and national security. “Our airport serves roughly 400,000 passengers per year,” she says. “These upgrades are crucial to improving safety and modernizing our infrastructure to support the long-term economic growth of the territory.” Work began in 2022 with the replacement of the aging apron concrete and the expansion of the parallel runway. That early investment proved critical later, enabling the airport to handle larger aircraft and nighttime operations during the main runway closures. “Main runway work started in 2023,” Potvin continues. “We began with site preparation, including ground clearing and the construction of our service road and utilities. From May to October 2024, we completed upgrades on the north half of the runway—rebuilding the asphalt surface, 56 JAN 2026 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA Paving of 02-20 runway surface (Photo Credit: Associated Engineering)
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