Gord Johns

As the federal government funds 10 new wildfire-fighting aircrafts, Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns is celebrating it as a win. Johns has been calling on the government to establish a national aerial firefighting plan for years. The government announced it is funding four aerial firefighting air tankers, one birddog plane, five heavy lift helicopters and two support assets as part of the aerial firefighting force. Provincial and territorial firefighting agencies can request access to the fleet when they need it. The 2025 budget announced $316.7 million over five years to establish the fleet, something Johns said could help his riding when the budget was announced. …Johns said while leasing aircrafts with companies including Conair Group Inc., Coldstream Helicopters, and VIH Helicopters is an important step, he wants the government to have its own firefighting fleet. “We will continue pushing the federal government to work with Canadian companies like Coulson Aviation…,” said Johns.