March 24, 1999
(Works, Services and Transportation)

The following statement was issued today by Lloyd Matthews, Minister of Works, Services and Transportation (Acting). It was also read in the House of Assembly:

I rise today to inform Honourable Members of an agreement reached again this year between the Department of Works, Services and Transportation and the State of North Carolina for the use of two CL-215 water bombers owned by the province.

The two provincial aircraft have been contracted to North Carolina for a 60-day period. The aircraft will be used on standby for fighting forest fires in the state.

The province will receive a fixed daily standby rate for each aircraft, in addition to an operated rate for each hour flown. The net revenue from this contract will be a minimum of $252,000 US. The first aircraft was deployed on March 15 and the second left for North Carolina on March 19.

This is a period during the year when these aircraft are not in use by the province. Both aircraft will be back in Newfoundland and Labrador by the end of May for use here. This is the third time the province has entered into a contract with the State of North Carolina for the use of water bombers, the first being in 1993, when we contracted one aircraft, and the second was 1998 when we sent two aircraft.

This is a significant revenue generating practice for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

We will continue to find ways to utilize our equipment and our resources to the full advantage of the people of the province.

Thank you.

1999 03 24 2:10 p.m.