Saskatoon business leaders blindsided by Air Canada service cuts
Saskatoon business advocate Keith Moen was blindsided when he learned of Air Canada's plan to stop the twice-daily direct flights from Saskatoon and Regina to Calgary on Jan. 16, 2023.
"I've actually had some reaction from some of our members saying, 'Is this a joke? Like, are they trying to pull something over on us,’ “ said Moen, executive director of the North Saskatoon Business Association.
"But no, it's actually a reality and it's gonna be a sad day when that actually comes to pass."
Moen said there's no doubt the news will affect the city and the way people here do business, with Calgary being "a major hub."
"It's particularly hurtful because we have many, many companies that have head offices here or branch offices there or vice versa. There's a lot of commerce that happens between the two cities," Moen said.
The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce said the move is short-sighted in light of the tailwinds that will propel Saskatoon's economy in 2023.
"It now appears that business travelers will spend more time, and money, to connect with the markets they serve," a statement from the organization said.
The chamber is taking aim at Federal Transport Minister Omar Algahbra, who hosted an Air Recovery Summit on Nov. 24 to "discuss critical issues facing aviation and the future of the air sector in Canada," as described in a federal government news release. (https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2022/10/minister-of-transport-to-host-an-air-sector-recovery-summit-on-november-24.html)
"So much for the summit," Chamber CEO Jason Aebig said on social media.
The chamber and Moen both commented on how Saskatoon's economy is expected to outpace all other major cities in the nation this year.
The Conference Board of Canada is forecasting Saskatoon's economy to grow by 7.2 per cent in 2022 and 3.9 per cent in 2023.
"Timing could likely not have been much worse, because we expect great things," Moen said. "We expect to see our economy rebound very strongly and we expect to see business travel commence as a result of that."
Moen also said it's the latest blow for international business partners looking to access Saskatchewan after direct flights to USA destinations were cancelled at the onset of the pandemic.
He said the cascading effect could mean less travel in the region and higher flight costs.
It all adds up to a negative situation for business travelers.
"Business time is money. It literally is. So when you're wasting time in airports or wasting time elsewhere while you should be doing business, it's going to cause problems down the road," Moen said.
Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said he's doing his due diligence to understand the decision from Air Canada before stepping in any further.
"We know how critical air access is for our residents," Clark said. "We're really working to understand that."
Clark said he plans on speaking with Air Canada and Premier Scott Moe about the change and how to re-attract flights to Saskatoon so residents and visitors can travel with ease.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.