NATA Resolution 2021-2

Northern travel procurement preference in support of northern air carriers

Whereas Northern Air Carriers are an integral component in the northern economy, accounting for a substantial proportion of territorial gross domestic product and of private sector territorial employment and;

Whereas Northern Air Carriers provide important investment and career opportunities for Indigenous people and;

Whereas Northern Air Carriers provide essential services from, to, and within the north, including service to remote communities which have no road access and;

Whereas Northern Air Carriers continue to provide essential services in the face of reduced demand resulting from Covid-19 and are most thankful for supplementary funding provided by the Federal and Territorial governments under the Northern Essential Air Services Program and;

Whereas the impact of NEAS funding could be greatly enhanced and the cost to taxpayers could be reduced if subsidy dollars were replaced by direct purchasing dollars from Federal and Territorial governments which are currently “leaking” out of the territories.

Therefore, be it resolved that Federal and Territorial Governments work together to adopt temporary emergency procurement directives to ensure that direct and indirect travel purchases by both levels of government are directed exclusively to northern air carriers, subject to reasonable price competitiveness.

Resolution Approved by NATA Board of Directors March 2, 2021