David Gascoine of Clearview Aviation Partners Ltd (CAPL), said he’ll be requesting a meeting this week to “offer clarity of facts” on the airport sale to Winterland Developments.
CAPL, owners of Genesis Flight College, filed a civil suit last year against the Town of Collingwood and Winterland Developments over access to the runway.
The lawsuit claims the town and flight college entered an agreement in 2014 that gave the college access to the airport runways 365 days a year in perpetuity. The agreement also stated the terms would be carried over should the airport be sold.
Now, according to the lawsuit, Winterland Developments would like to change the agreement to allow them to cut off access to the runways with 60 days notice.
"We recognize the importance of the current airport tenants and look forward to enhancing their experience and keep them flying," reads the Winterland statement. "We will also continue talking in good faith with Collingwood Aviation Partners Ltd. (owners of Genesis Flight College) and hope to reach an agreement."
The statement said Winterland will not be providing further comments due to the matter being before the courts.
Collingwood council voted unanimously on Monday (Jan. 14) after an in-camera session to proceed with closing the sale of the Collingwood Regional Airport to Winterland Developments.
Mayor Brian Saunderson said the town will not be assigning the runway access agreement in the sale.
“Our impression was there was a very strong business case for this decision,” said Saunderson. “CAPL was not prepared to come to the table … notwithstanding some very generous proposals by Winterland … the whole deal was essentially being held hostage, and the future of the airport was in jeopardy.”
Gascoine said it’s “not accurate to state that there has been significant negotiation taking place."
“We have not had any communication from the town since November and they have not reached out to us to provide comment on the current status,” said Gascoine. “CAPL remains interested in conducting a meaningful negotiation or amending the agreement in a way that preserves the original intent.”
During the council meeting earlier this week, Saunderson said the airport was costing the town $200,000 a year and was “not sustainable.”
He said Winterland’s capital management plan for the airport “will make it the regional asset it can be.”
Saunderson added the airport needed capital investment Collingwood couldn’t accommodate financially, and, he suggested, neither could any municipality.
“While we continue to support the sale to Winterland, the decision to move forward with the deal without assigning our access agreement seems like a reckless move for the town in terms of liability risk,” said Gascoine.
Saunderson, however, said the sale is what’s best for the community.
“It’s been a long, drawn-out transaction,” said the mayor during the council meeting. “I support this motion [to close the sale] because I believe it’s in the best interest of our taxpayers, it’s in the best interest of the airport, and in the best of the region.”
Saunderson expects the sale to close by the end of January.
