The Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority will get an extension until Oct. 31 on its $1 million line of credit. 

In February of 2021, city council approved a guarantee on the line of credit that the airport authority was receiving from JGL Livestock. The line of credit is bridge funding for the airport authority’s runway upgrades under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP). City council voted unanimously to extend the line of credit guarantee on Monday night. 

The line of credit was to be repaid by April 30. Guaranteeing the line of credit means that the city will not have to pay anything unless the airport authority defaults on repaying the loan. 

“Really, the city's in no position not to approve an extension simply because if we didn't approve an extension, all of a sudden, all of the money that’s outstanding would become liable to the city. So, we certainly don't want that to happen,” said Director of Financial Services Brian Acker. 

Coun. Doug Blanc was in favour of extending the guarantee as he outlined the importance of having a viable municipal airport. 

“The area by the power plant we're hoping to expand out there, and some of those companies they're not going to be based in Moose Jaw. Their CEOs could be anywhere,” Blanc said. 

In the request from Greg Simpson, chair of the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority, the surfacing contract was significantly delayed. His request said they forecasted the project would start on May 7, 2021, and be completed in six weeks. The project didn’t start until June and the paving and painting were not completed until October of 2021. 

Simpson added that the electrical, signs and grass have also been delayed until June 30 of this year. 

“Simply what's happened is a few things took a little longer to come in. We ran out of warm weather in the fall to finish up the job. So, this is just a guarantee of interim funding to make sure everything gets done and it will be,” explained Mayor Clive Tolley. 

Under ICIP, the work must be completed and invoices paid before reimbursement, which can take up to 90 days. The extension would allow for the remaining work to be completed.