Community Support

The Brampton-Caledon Airport is an economic generator for the community.

The Brampton-Caledon Airport, owned and operated by the Brampton Flying Club, contributes a great deal to the local economy. The airport does not receive any government funding or have the taxpayer support that Ontario municipal airports do. A positive financial contribution is made to the Town of Caledon on an annual basis. Equipment, food, office supplies, and fuel are sourced locally. Local contractors are used for grass cutting services and snowplowing, as well as many other airport maintenance and development projects. Advertising is purchased in local publications. Further, as a transportation hub, additional revenue is generated for the community by visitors arriving by air. Hotels, restaurants, car rentals, and local shopping centres are the immediate beneficiaries. Statistics show that approximately $70.00 per day is spent by each visitor arriving by air.

The Brampton-Caledon Airport generated approximately $11.7 million for the provincial economy during 2008. This figure represents the sum of direct, indirect and induced gross revenues

Employment

Although the Brampton-Caledon Airport does not have scheduled passenger service, the airport draws thousands of visitors to the Brampton and Caledon area annually. Approximately 105.4 full-time jobs are generated by the activities of the airport and its tenants annually.

Jobs and Education

The flight school, Brampton Flight Centre (BFC), is respected around the world. It is known as one of Canada’s premier flight training centres. More than 40,000 pilots have trained here, education providing career and job opportunities. Many are employed in professional aviation positions around the world. BFC provides many levels of pilot training from recreational to airline transport pilot training. All of the professional pilot training programs at BFC are approved by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. The BFC Flight College Program has been running for over 15 years. Students graduate with a Professional Pilot Diploma (IATPL) that gives them the crucial skills to move into the cockpit of a commercial airliner.

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“General aviation is in a lot of ways the feedstock of the entire aviation industry,” said Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO. “If you look at the airlines, flight departments, air traffic controllers at major airports and major airports themselves, you can draw direct lines from general aviation forward. From general aviation beginnings an entire industry has been built. It ought to be understood that pilot starts, entry-level maintenance jobs, air traffic controller jobs, airports, that’s all really the foundation that the aviation industry is built on.”

Social Benefits

Green Airport Initiatives and Leadership

The Brampton Flying Club (BFC) is very proud to be located in the Town of Caledon. “Caledon is well respected for its progressive approach on green matters and maintaining a sustainable balance of community, environmental and development initiatives in the context of an extensive urban and rural environment.” In 2003 the Town of Caledon was named the co-recipient of the “TVO Greenest Town in Ontario” Award. Link to the Town of Caledon Green Development and learn more about what our community is striving for.

The airport has moved forward with many “Green” initiatives to create a more sustainable airport community. One example is Low Impact Development Infrastructure for the new hangar community areas. This kind of infrastructure manages storm water in a cost effective and environmentally positive way protecting drinking water and airport facilities during large storm events.

History, Education & Forums for Learning

The Brampton-Caledon Airport provides a home for the Great War Flying Museum, the only one of its kind in Canada, providing education to people from around the world about aviation history in Canada and World War 1. (100th Anniversary of WW1) “Museums are a public forum for issues that should challenge society, to influence, challenge and sometimes change how visitors think, inspiring them to take action on big issues like war and be more informed citizens in an increasingly globalized world.”

Our airport serves as a base for the Toronto Chapter of the Recreational Aircraft Association, volunteers dedicated to the promotion of flying as a hobby for ordinary Canadians or local community groups.

Training Leaders for the Future

BFC has provided the building and sponsored the 892 Snowy Owl Air Cadet Squadron located at the airport for more than twenty-five years. Chris Hadfield has commented “In truth, I started training to command the space station when I was 14. I was in the Air Cadets and I went to a junior leaders’ course and they taught me the basic precepts of leadership as a young Canadian.”

Transportation Base

The Brampton-Caledon Airport connects our community and businesses to Canada’s national air transportation network and the world.

Access to Emergency Health Care Services

The airport facilitates Medevac Flights and access to emergency health care services through volunteer programs like Hope.

A Destination and Focal Point within the Community for Recreational and Volunteer Opportunities

Opportunities include youth camps, airport tours, events like Light Up the Runway and a meeting place for community organizations, seniors, scouts, guides, schools and cadets .

Tourist Destination

The airport makes a great day trip. Special events like the Annual Airport Day stimulate the local economy.

Here are some of the other ways that our members help to support communities.

- Many pilots trained at BFC are now flying for airlines all over the world, many in the Canadian North providing transportation for medical support and delivery of supplies to and from isolated communities.
- Members provide many free flights and support to Hope Air, a national Registered Charity helping Canadians in financial need fly to necessary medical treatment that might be unavailable in a patient’s community. The mission of Hope Air is “to ensure that no Canadian is denied medical care for inability to afford air travel”.
- The Brampton Flying Club received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Peel Regional Police for the contributions one of our members made to the School Police Emergency Action Response Program. The many hours of air work over the region provided a vital program component and enhancement to community safety in the Region of Peel in 2007.

We Strive to be Good Neighbours

The Brampton Flying Club has always endeavoured to be a good neighbour to the residents surrounding our airport. We ask our members to respect people’s privacy. Noise abatement procedures are posted on our website. We do our best to work with our neighbours to resolve their issues and concerns as best we can in and in a timely manner.