NU Government: Canadian North and First Air Merger – Statement

June 20, 2019

Minister of Economic Development and Transportation David Akeeagok today released the following statement:

“Transport Canada and the Competition Bureau have completed their public interest reviews of the proposed merger between First Air and Canadian North, and have made the decision to let it proceed. In light this announcement, the Government of Nunavut (GN) remains cautious and intends to monitor the situation very closely.

During the course of this review, the GN engaged regulators to demonstrate how dependent Nunavummiut are on air transportation for medical travel, personal mobility, everyday needs, and the delivery of basic, vital services. Given how critical this issue is for Nunavut, the GN asked the agencies to use their full regulatory authority to ensure the effects on routing, pricing and scheduling were minimized. The GN has also requested comprehensive monitoring of operations after the merger, to ensure all terms and conditions are met.

We will continue our on-going efforts to secure reliable, affordable government airline services for Nunavut, and we will not hesitate to voice our concerns if we see deterioration in service to our communities.”

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Media Contact:

Matthew Illaszewicz
Manager, Communications
Economic Development and Transportation
867-975-7818
millaszewicz@gov.nu.ca

NT5