The Fort McMurray International Airport Authority (FMAA) has released the results of a study on its 2016 economic impact.
The study, by InterVISTAS Consulting Group, found that in 2016 the airport produced $354 million in economic output and welcomed over 740,000 passengers, a drop of 32 per cent, from the 1.1 million a year earlier. The wildfire and drop in oil prices contributed to the decrease in traffic through the airport.
In 2016 the airport provided 900 jobs, 760 of those were full-time equivalents (FTEs) of employment, generating $46 million in wages.
The majority FTEs at the airport came from the food and retail sector with 143.
The number of FTEs in 2016 was up slightly from 746 in 2013.
“Airports are not successful on their own, communities make airports successful and airports can drive economic growth. This study looks at the vital role YMM Airport plays at creating and providing skilled jobs that contribute to our local economy,” said RJ Steenstra, President & CEO of the Fort McMurray Airport Authority. “We provide a vital transportation service to the region while our employees and businesses support our community’s economy and diversification.”
The study also found that the airport contributed $25 million in total tax revenue, $4 million of that went to the municipality.
