Perimeter Aviation’s delays, high fees cause hardship for remote Manitoba First Nations: chiefs – CBC

Sep 06, 2023

Chiefs want Transport Canada to investigate company’s ‘monopoly’ on northern Manitoba air travel

The chiefs of four First Nations in northeastern Manitoba that rely heavily on air travel for most of the year say Perimeter Aviation is not meeting the needs of their communities, and they want the federal government to investigate what they call a monopoly on air transport in the north.

The Winnipeg-based airline provides passenger airline service, air ambulance operations and cargo services, primarily to remote locations in northern Manitoba and northwestern Ontario, according to its website.

At a news conference Wednesday morning, the chiefs from the Island Lake region — including the Wasagamack, St. Theresa Point, Red Sucker Lake and Garden Hill First Nations — said high airfares, excess baggage fees and serious delays are creating undue hardship to the fly-in communities.

“It’s very one-sided, where … I believe that Perimeter gets most of the benefits rather than the community,” said Grand Chief Scott Harper of Anisininew Okimawin, a coalition of the four Island Lake-area First Nations.