The Goderich Airport Task Force was formed in 2019 to champion the stimulation of Goderich Municipal Airport, widely recognized to be a valuable but underutilized asset from an economic development perspective. The Town of Goderich and Huron County Economic Development Board jointly retained HM Aero to prepare a 20-year strategic master plan centring around three key dimensions: 1) business development planning; 2) airport land use and infrastructure planning; and 3) governance and funding strategy development.

Governance and funding are fundamental challenges that must be addressed to ensure the airport’s future viability, recognizing that the fiscal capacity of the Town of Goderich will be exceeded by the upcoming capital budget requirements. HM Aero carefully analyzed the degree to which the airport’s economic and social benefits are experienced regionally and recommended a two-phase governance and funding model. In the interim, the Airport Task Force will transition to a permanent committee of Council (this change occurred in October 2021). In the future, an intermunicipal commission and funding partnership between the Town, adjacent Township, and Huron County is recommended.

HM Aero also analyzed all applicable general aviation, commercial aviation, and non-aviation business development opportunities and developed a comprehensive land use plan and infrastructure renewal plan to support these opportunities.