'It represents our commitment to the area': Moosomin airport to receive $4.1M upgrade
Moosomin is a community of just under 2,500, but it’s growing — and its newest future addition promises to help the community grow even more.
New upgrades have begun at the local Moosomin airport. With additional government and provincial funding, the project promises to bring economic spin-offs, and help with southeast medical issues.
Currently, the runway at Moosomin’s airport can’t support air ambulance crews. The new build will look to bridge that gap and allow for more movement to and from the community.
On Feb. 8, Nutrien earmarked $2.7 million to the new build. The province added an additional $1.4 million, bringing the total investment into the project to $4.1 million.
Numerous local donors also committed funds, with the project going through 17 different RMs and local communities to get to this point.
“What it’ll do in terms of timely medical assistance around the area is just unbelievable,” Jeff St. Onge, president of the Moosomin Flying Club, told CTV News.
Work has begun already, with half of the existing gravel runway now torn up.
St. Onge said the new build will include a new hangar, along with a new paved runway and will repurpose some existing areas.
For Nutrien, one quarter of its potash revenues comes from southeastern Saskatchewan.
According to Chris Reynolds, Nutrien’s president and executive vice president of potash, this is an investment rather than a one-off donation.
“This is an area that really important to Nutrien,” Reynolds said. “We’re really excited here and I think it represents our commitment to the area.”
Reynolds’s added that just 30 minutes away from Moosomin lies the largest potash facility in the world.
He said a big factor in approving the deal was the existing work the community has done with the project, showing it’s serious to create change for the southeast.
According to Reeve of the RM of Moosomin, David Moffatt, an additional $1.2 million is needed to finish the project.
“We have people ready to donate, and a lot of big industry too that are looking at doing this,” he said.
“With this facility here, I think we’re going to see bigger businesses coming to town … to make that transition of driving all day to a three hour trip [by plane] is huge.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE UPDATES | Watch live coverage of U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Canada
As Joe Biden makes his first trip to Canada as president of the United States, CTVNews.ca is offering live coverage of the leader's visit. Follow our live blog on CTVNews.ca and the CTV News app for the latest updates.

WATCH LIVE | U.S. President Joe Biden arrives on the Hill to meet with Trudeau, address Parliament
U.S. President Joe Biden has arrived on Parliament Hill for a jam-packed day of events as part of his first official visit to Canada since taking office.
Ontario crypto king kidnapped, tortured in an attempt to get millions in ransom, documents say
Ontario’s self-described crypto king was allegedly abducted, tortured, and beaten for days as his kidnappers looked to solicit millions in ransom, his father told a court in December.
Incredible photos show northern lights dancing across much of Canada
Sky-gazers and shutterbugs across much of Canada were treated to a spectacular display of northern lights Thursday night and into Friday morning.
W5 Investigates | 'Canadians should be very concerned about their drinking water': W5 investigates asbestos cement pipes
W5 investigates aging asbestos pipes across Canada and the potential health hazards if it ends up in your tap water. Watch W5's 'Something in the Water' Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV.
W5 EXCLUSIVE | New police force should be appointed to take over investigation into death of teenaged hockey player, complaint says
An Ontario couple has filed a request with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) to appoint a new police force to investigate the death of their 17-year-old son Benjamin, who died during a hockey team-bonding event in September 2019.
Restaurants and bars brace for biggest alcohol tax jump in 40 years
Canada's restaurant industry is bracing for the biggest jump in the country's alcohol excise duty in more than 40 years, spurring warnings the tax hike could force some bars and restaurants out of business.
Why executions by firing squad may be coming back in the U.S.
The idea of using firing squads is making a comeback in the U.S. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads, currently Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau to introduce Jill Biden to curling during Ottawa visit
The United States' first lady will be given a sweeping introduction to Canadian sports culture in Ottawa today as Sophie Gregoire Trudeau takes Jill Biden to the curling rink.