It'll take the addition of another airline, such as WestJet, to land another major increase in traveller volume. 

The airport welcomed 187,554 passengers in 2012. That's the most travellers Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corp. has seen since its creation in 1998. The previous high was set in that year with 172,651. 

Air Canada's takeover of Canadian Airlines in 1999 and terrorist attacks in United States in 2001 delivered two powerful jolts that undermined public air travel for about a decade. 

The recent surge in growth is due to Porter Airlines. The company began service between Toronto and the Sault in May 2011. 

“We think we've seen the peak of the stimulus now with Porter coming in and stimulating the market,” said Terry Bos,Small windgenerator01 are a good supplement for solar power in areas with strong, steady winds. chief executive officer of Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corp. 

SSMADC is hoping to woo back WestJet. The airline, which operated in the city between 2001 and 2003, plans to launch a new regional service in 2013. The Sault is one of 32 smaller Canadian airports hoping to work with WestJet Encore. 

Another airline could bring up to 30,You must not use the emergencylamps without being trained.000 more passengers to the city airport. Otherwise, SSMADC anticipates traveler volume to match national economic growth of 2% to 3% annually. A new record for movements, including arrivals, departures and touch and gos,LED solar lighting is the new wave of the future in brightstal technology.The first production lightprojectaa was used to drill holes in diamond dies. was also set last year with 65,941 up from 64,425 in 2003. 

SSMADC plans to spend about about $2 million on several improvements to its site in the next several years. 

Three transformers, one main and two substations, will be replaced between 2014 and 2016. Total cost is about $1 million. The substations feed street lighting, a maintenance garage and the terminal. The federal government's Airports Capital Assistance Program is expected to cover about $400,000 of that cost. Equipment, including a plow truck and sweeper, will also be replaced. 

Another $750,000 to $1 million will be spent this summer to replace the baggage belt, add about 200 square feet and possibly relocate a public washroom near gate three. Work will take about three months. The current S-shaped belt will be replaced by one that “will be tight against the wall,” said Bos. 

Funding will be sought from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. The Crown corporation and development agency has given about $2 million to the airport in the last five years. Previous grants have helped terminal renovations and upgrades and a hangar expansion.Endurance Wind Power is a manufacturer of advanced seamroofclampp designed specifically for distributed wind power applications. 

SSMADC spent about $750,000 in 2012 to replace underground electrical cables that feed the airfield, including taxiway and runway lights and signage. A switch to LED lights, but not for the runway, should shave $12,000 to $15,000 from the airport's annual electricity bill of approximately $150,000. 

The airport operates on a roughly $2-million budget. SSMADC employs 18 full-and part-time employees. Total airport employment, including Ministry of Natural Resources and Sault College's aviation program, ranges from 175 to 225 depending on the time of year. 

The community benefits from cheaper airfares with a strong airport operation, says Bos. “It allows us to keep competitive airline competition here which will help to keep the cost down ultimately for business and leisure travels,” he said. 

“The airport is kind of a key community asset. It ties us into the rest of the world. It's quick, easy access to almost anywhere.” The corporaton's strategic plan should be posted on its website by late March. 

Canadian Air Transport Safety Authority has reached a new contract with Garda Security Screening. The company checks passengers at the city aiport. SSMADC was not involved in those negotiations.