Sturgeon County is getting $2.2-million from the province through the Municipal Stimulus Program for improvements at Villeneuve Airport.
The funding will be used for a waterline essential to the airport's growth and further business development, according to a news release. Sturgeon County is also investing $7.3-million to improve broadband connectivity in a pilot project area that includes the airport.
“Through the collective efforts of regional partners who form the Villeneuve Landing Network, we are working to propel economic diversification at Villeneuve Airport and the nearby surrounding lands to increase opportunities for our future and that of the greater region," Mayor Alanna Hnatiw said in a news release.
"Our vision includes developing the lands into a general aviation, manufacturing, transportation and logistics hub that connects specialized regional products and services with global markets.”
The new waterline will run from the Hamlet of Villeneuve west down Highway 633 and north at Range Road 270 to link up with the airport's reservoir. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2021.
The Villeneuve Airport and surrounding lands has been identified by Sturgeon County as a priority for attracting investment and key to the county's economic diversification strategy.