Wakeham Calls for Urgent Action to Protect Marine Institute Training Program at Stephenville Airport

St. John’s, NL (July 17, 2025) – Tony Wakeham, Progressive Conservative Leader and MHA for Stephenville – Port au Port, is calling on the Liberal government to take immediate action to help resolve a growing crisis at the Stephenville Airport. A power disruption has directly impacted the Marine Institute’s firefighter training facility, placing the program and its future in the Bay St. George region at imminent risk.

“Once again, we are facing the loss of another critical service in the Bay St. George region,” said Wakeham. “With no safeguards in place, the Marine Institute is losing confidence in the airport’s ability to support their programming. That’s unacceptable—and it’s a major setback for firefighter preparedness, public safety, and the local economy.”

The training facility relies on specialized fixed infrastructure that cannot be easily relocated or replicated. Wakeham warned that the continued lack of a stable power supply threatens to force the closure or relocation of this vital program, which has served as a leading firefighter training site in Atlantic Canada.

“This is another missed opportunity to build real aviation activity at the Stephenville Airport, once again caused by the failure to secure strong and financially stable ownership of the facility,” added Wakeham.

He is urging all levels of government to work together on both immediate and long-term solutions to protect the airport’s essential infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted operations for the Marine Institute and the province’s air ambulance services.

“I’m prepared to convene a meeting with all stakeholders to ensure this regional asset is not lost for good,” said Wakeham. “This airport is too important to the Bay St. George region and to firefighter training across Newfoundland and Labrador to be allowed to fail. Losing the airport and the critical services it supports is simply not an option.”