Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m pleased to introduce Bill 61, An Act to Amend the Public Airports Act, which proposes to address six areas in legislation aimed at improving how we operate airports throughout the NWT and to clarify sections of the Public Airports Act.
The bill proposes to increase the duration of leases on Commissioner’s public airports land from 20 years to 30 years so tenants will be able to amortize leasehold improvements over longer periods. Such extensions will provide consistency with maximum amortization periods typically offered by lending agencies.
The bill proposes amendments that prescribe new procedures through which an airport manager would be able to take possession of unclaimed property left at airports for storage, sale or disposal.
The bill also proposes amendments to provide enforcement officers at the airport with authority similar to highway transport officers to enforce the Motor Vehicles Act, the Public Airports Act and other regulations that apply to public airport land. To achieve harmonization with the Motor Vehicles Act, the bill proposes the maximum fine for offences under the Public Airports Act to be increased from $2,000 to $5,000. As well, the regulation of traffic and pedestrians on public airport
land will be addressed under the Motor Vehicles Act, allowing for several repetitive provisions to be removed from the Public Airports Act.
Finally, the proposed bill will improve the act’s clarity and rehabilitee. Thank you.