By Sebastian Kanally, Times Chronicle
Oliver is taking the first steps in a bid to better utilize the Oliver Airport land as it aims to increase revenue generating potential which could include dorms, offices or even housing.
In order to do this the town is seeking an expansion to provincial rules around “ancillary airport uses” which in its current form the town considers “outdated, rigid, and restrictive”.
The first step in expanding potential uses is Oliver’s resolution to the Southern Interior Local Government Association’s (SILGA) Annual General Meeting and Convention. The annual meeting is scheduled to be held in Merritt between April 29 to May 2, 2025.
The Oliver Airport operates on a BC government airport crown grant and must adhere to the Airports Land Use Operational Policy of the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.
The motion Oliver council passed explains that they consider the list of airport uses to be restrictive and limited to what’s considered necessary for the viable operation and management of a public airport.
The Airports Land Use Operational Policy reads: “Ancillary airport uses are uses deemed by the Authorizing Agency as necessary for the viable operation and management of a public airport facility”.
A list of such ancillary uses are terminal buildings, hangars, flying school facilities, restaurant/gift shop providing airport revenue, aircraft parking area (whether for free or for generating revenue) etc.
This list is problematic because, the town notes, costs for crown grant airports continue to increase and are “far outpacing the revenue-generating opportunities from ancillary land use leases.”
A report to council in Dec. 2023 presenting a plan to apply for an airport improvement grant was rejected because of the cost estimated at $1.83 million with the provincial grant providing up to 85 per cent of the cost, which would still have left the town on the hook for between $220,000 – $500,000.
There are substantial cracks in the runway that have become wide enough to make it increasingly difficult to fix without repaving the entire runway.
Town of Oliver photo
Advocating for an expansion of this list could open up the door for Oliver to pursue initiatives on airport grounds for uses such as dorms, offices or housing.
Pursuing these types of revenue generating options on airport grounds was included in the town’s recent additions to their 2023-2027 Strategic Plan around social and economic development priorities.
In that meeting on Jan. 27, Wayne Anderson, chief administrative officer for the town explained, “this is definitely an area we are looking at expanding and getting things like potential dorms for flight schools and maybe some housing uses as well.”
Thus, through this SILGA resolution, the town will also request that the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) ask the province to “work with crown grant airport owners to update the list of Ancillary Uses in the Land Use Operational Policy to allow for increased revenue-generating opportunities to improve the economic viability of crown grant airports.”
Mayor Martin Johansen also queried whether sending the resolution as a stand-alone or combining and having a joint resolution with the Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) would be better.
Councillor Aimee Grice answered, “as a member of the SILGA resolutions committee I would definitely not submit them as individual resolutions, the more that you join together the more strength I think it gives it.”
As a result, the town will be reaching out to other municipalities within SILGA’s jurisdiction and the RDOS to sign their support for the resolution.
The resolution was written by town staff with the help of the Airport Committee, which Johansen and Grice sit on. Johansen also reiterated his desire to speak with Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship about the issue during a visit to council by newly elected Conservative Party of BC MLA Donegal Wilson.
Wilson stated she had already developed a working relationship with Neill and indicated her willingness to set up a meeting.
At the council’s earlier Jan. 6 meeting, Grice provided some context for the committee’s thoughts on penning this resolution.
She explained, “There was some discussion at the airport committee around the provincial land lease for the airport land, the agreement is quite outdated and rigid.”
Oliver’s past SILGA resolutions since 2016 are as follows:
- 2016 RCMP – Rural Policing Resourcing Model – Adequate Resources.
- 2017 Infrastructure Project Funding for Irrigation Water.
- 2021 Primary Care Network Funding; Long Term Care Homes COVID-19; Residential Tenancy Act – Landlord Protection; Extreme Weather Response Shelters.
- 2022 Tiny Homes.
- 2023 Provincial Government Support.
- 2024 Tourism Diversification.
Council also decided on two nominations they would like to make for the 2024 SILGA Community Excellence Awards.
The awards fall into three categories: Environmental Sustainability, Social Responsibility, and Economic Development.
Council decided to nominate the Station Street Market in the category of economic development and the Lion’s Park Washroom upgrade for the category of social responsibility.
Initial discussion during the meeting pointed towards nominating the recently completed Orange Crosswalk for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for the social responsibility category.
But the town recently won an excellence award for the statue depicting ylmixʷəm ntytyix, the Okanagan Salmon Chief.
Council thus decided the washrooms may be more directly related to social responsibility.
Councillor David Mattes explained his reasoning by saying “I like the Lion’s Park Washroom because we are offering showers, and I think that is social responsibility.” He went on to further note its impact on the community.
