The Grande Prairie Airport has received $140,000 from the Alberta provincial government to explore renovations that could include adding customs and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The money will fund a Canadian Border Services Agency Facilities Study.

“We hope to get some flights to the sunshine spots in the wintertime, like Mexico,” said Grande Prairie Airport CEO Brian Grant said of the northern Alberta, located nearly a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Edmonton and seven from Calgary.

Grant said the airport’s 20-year expansion plan is in progress, and the study may help accelerate some of the work.

“This gives us an opportunity to have the design work done and have a business case done that we can take to the airlines and also to the candidate customers,” he said.

Grant says the potential expansion at the airport would include an addition to the current terminal building, which would make room for CBSA and provide a spot to easily offload a 200-person plane.

He said it would eliminate the need for local vacationers to stop in Edmonton and Calgary.

Grant says the study would also look into the design of the airport’s restaurant so it can serve people before and after the secure area after security.

Grant said the study will begin this month and will be completed in September. The funding is part of the province’s $1.13 million announcement in supporting regional airports.

“This investment will support the growth of Alberta’s regional airports and help restore and develop connections between our regional and international airports,” said Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.

Ten regional airports received funding, including the Grande Prairie Airport.

Grant said the Grande Prairie Airport is also performing a market study that will determine flyers’ original destinations which will help airlines know what routes to bring to the city in the future.

He noted that passenger numbers are rising at the local airport but have yet to hit 2019 numbers.

“We had hoped for it to be a little quicker, but it is what it is.”