Mr. Speaker, Rimouski is now the sole owner of its airport. This airport is recognized as one of 70 regional and local airports providing regularly scheduled passenger service to fewer than 200,000 travellers annually.
Now that the airport is operated by people from the region who understand their role in the community as well as their growth potential, the people of the region will be able to benefit more from their airport, reduce costs, adjust service levels to the local needs and attract new and different types of business.
The improved use of transportation infrastructure will most certainly stimulate trade and tourism and create employment, one of our government's objectives, which is striving to establish a flexible, efficient and affordable network of airports to better serve Canadians in the future.
Hurray for Canada's presence in Rimouski.