OTTAWA - Cargo planes are vital lifelines for remote communities in Canada’s north, delivering food, medicine and other essentials. To get those critical items to people faster, Canadian North, has opened a new cargo facility at the Ottawa International Airport. The airline serves more than 20 destinations across Nunavut, Nunavik and the Northwest Territories. “It represents the beginning of a new, exciting chapter for Canadian North as we continue to strengthen our operations and enhance the services we provide,” said Shelly De Caria, Canadian North’s president and CEO. De Caria, who was born and raised in Kuujjuaq, Que., said she understands the vital importance of this infrastructure. “I remember when the cargo came in and my brother ran to the fridge and said ‘we’re rich’ because we had food in our fridge.” The airline transports thousands of boxes of groceries, essential medical supplies and materials for businesses every week, often to communities only accessible by air. The expansion project received $11 million from the federal government’s National Trade Corridors Fund. “A sovereign Arctic depends on moving goods safely and reliably across the north. That is why this building matters so much,” said Defence Minister David McGuinty. The warehouse’s general cargo capacity has increased by 40 per cent. Its cold storage capacity has nearly doubled. “Alongside faster cargo processing and cargo loading, truck wait times will come down from as much of an hour to just five to 10 minutes,” said Rebecca Alty, minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations. The facility aims to move cargo more quickly to ensure supplies arrive faster and fresher. “Reliable northern supply chains depend on everyday links like this from the southern facilities where goods are handled to the airports and communities where they arrive,” said Rebecca Chartrand, minister of northern and arctic affairs.
