Prince Albert Airport serves as the gateway to northern Saskatchewan, supporting scheduled and charter air carriers, general and corporate aviation, government agencies, and a range of tenants and businesses. To position the Airport for success over the next 20 years, the City retained HM Aero and its sub-consultant, Avia NG, to complete a Strategic Master Plan addressing the facility’s infrastructure, operations, business development, and financial management.

Through the lens of responsible asset management, the project team identified airside and groundside capital projects with a focus on rehabilitating existing assets and pursuing projects that are prerequisites to the City’s business development goals, such as the provision of airside access to development lots. Linear infrastructure (i.e., potable water, sanitary sewer, and internet services) is a key constraint that was addressed through a recommended systematic multi-year upgrading program.

The terminal building, while well-maintained by the City, is also undersized relative to current and forecast peak hour passenger volumes and cannot be efficiently expanded in its current form. The project team prepared a conceptual design for a 1,300 m2 replacement terminal building that is “future-proofed” in its ability to support increased cargo and passenger volumes. The recommended terminal design is also able to flexibly accommodate CATSA Pre-Board Screening in the future, and the potential expansion of the structure is protected in the building’s design.

A key element of the Strategic Master Plan was reviewing the Airport’s operations to identify areas for improvement. HM Aero’s primary recommendation is that a “whole of City” approach should be adopted, where other municipal departments become involved in the Airport according to their unique areas of expertise (e.g., groundside maintenance, economic development).