New runway ups Halifax Stanfield’s cargo game

   Officials at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia have announced the opening of a $28 million runway extension, which has elongated the runway by nearly 2,000 feet.
   Construction of the runway extension, which allows the airport to handle wider and heavier aircraft, began in September 2011.
   Funding for the expansion came from the Canadian government, the province of Nova Scotia and the airport authority. The government provided funds as part of its Atlantic Gateway and Trade Corridor Strategy.
   “Today we celebrate investments in a project that will considerably enhance the Halifax Stanfield International Airport’s position as an international air cargo hub, while benefiting the Atlantic economy,” the minister of national defense, Peter MacKay, said in a statement. “These improvements enhance the competitiveness of the airport and facilitate the movement of international trade through the Atlantic Gateway and Trade Corridor. Strategic infrastructure investments like these are key to the success of the Atlantic Gateway.”
   Airport Authority President Tom Ruth underlined the project’s air cargo benefits, also highlighting the economic impact the new runway will have for the surrounding area.
   “This development will create positive economic spin-offs that will benefit our community, our province and our region,” he said in a statement. – Jon Ross