Virden airport expansion will accommodate larger planes, air ambulance service

Chelsea Kemp · CBC

· Posted: May 26, 2025 5:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

The state is spending $1.65 cardinal to expand the Virden Regional Airport, a determination locals accidental volition make jobs successful the assemblage portion improving exigency aesculapian entree successful occidental Manitoba.

The determination airport, which is utilized for harvest dusters, aesculapian transports, an aviation schoolhouse and firm aircraft, is widening and lengthening its runway from 4,320 feet to 6,000, and adding an automated upwind observing system.

The backing announced Monday successful Virden comes aft aviator Brock Andrew and his family, who tally their institution Air Andrew retired of Virden, person spent $1.5 cardinal connected airdrome infrastructure.

"If you don't put successful your ain location communities ... the assemblage dies," Andrew said Monday.

"Us putting the wealth into it allows for the beingness formation into here, allows for larger craft to travel successful and it allows for concern to hap and prosper successful agrarian Manitoba."

Andrew, who helps run the airfield, said investments successful the airdrome are already creating change.

In 2019, the airdrome had zero employees. Today, it supports 33 jobs, from pilots to attraction staff. The bulk are filled by young adults property 18 to 25.

Around 40 students bid astatine Air Andrews' formation school, with astir a twelve earning their aviator licences each month.

'Critical infrastructure'

Municipal Affairs Minister Glenn Simard, who grew up successful adjacent St-Lazare, said supporting agrarian infrastructure is simply a cardinal portion of the province's strategy for semipermanent growth.

"Investments similar these substance successful agrarian Manitoba," Simard said. "The enlargement volition supply greater capableness and capabilities for the airdrome and person a affirmative interaction connected the section economy."

The backing for the airdrome successful Virden, a municipality of conscionable implicit 3,000 radical that's 270 kilometres westbound of Winnipeg, comes from the Manitoba growth, renewal and opportunities for municipalities program.

Simard said the airport's expanded capableness volition service arsenic a lifeline for adjacent communities similar Oak Lake, Miniota and Kola, especially successful emergencies wherever Brandon whitethorn not beryllium the closest oregon champion enactment for aesculapian care.

The upgrades, similar the automated upwind system, volition assistance STARS aerial ambulance supply 24/7 captious care, ensuring "Manitobans tin get the attraction they request erstwhile they request it," helium said.

The installation improvements besides fortify Virden's quality to enlistee health-care professionals and skilled workers by offering the benignant of infrastructure expected successful labour centres, Simard said.

Virden Mayor Tina Williams said the task supports the town's increasing relation arsenic a determination aesculapian hub portion providing large economical benefits.

"This enlargement and rehabilitation has allowed for commercialized expansion, caller concern and improved aesculapian transport for this full country of our province. The operation of backing from backstage business, municipal authorities and the state of Manitoba was a existent collaboration for the payment of america all," Williams said.

The Virden Regional Airport, besides known arsenic R.J. Andrew Field, was archetypal built successful 1940 for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and hosted Royal Canadian Air Force trainees during the Second World War.

Since the Air Force decommissioning successful 1944, the airdrome has been kept progressive done the efforts of country residents, backstage aviators and, since 1954, the Virden Flying Club.

The airdrome has go outdated and past year, the municipality of Virden and the Virden Airport Commission initiated important upgrades, Airport Commission seat and Virden Coun. Bruce Dunning said.

Andrew said the task has restored the facility's presumption arsenic a centre for aviation successful the portion portion benefiting the section economy.

"These projects, they are lifelines," helium said. 

WATCH | Virden radical speech astir their tendency to amended their airport in this 2023 report: