Construction of airport solar park set to begin soon

A planned 8.5-megawatt solar forest on Thunder Bay International Airport Authority lands should start taking shape as early as next week.

The site, adjacent to a pair of runways on the southwest side of the airport property, parallel to Highway 61, has been cleared and dozens of boxes of solar panels have been delivered and ready to be installed, said TBIAA chief executive officer Scott McFadden, providing an update on the $25-million project to local media on Tuesday.

“Within the next week or so they’re going to start screwing these platforms into the ground to support the panels.”

McFadden said the project, being spearheaded by Toronto-based SkyPower, has drawn national attention, as the Thunder Bay International Airport will be the first of its kind in Canada when the project is completed this summer.

“Over the long run it’s certainly going to make the airport greener. We will be the first airport in Canada to be solar powered. So that is something that Thunder Bay can feel a certain level of satisfaction about,” he said.

“And then there will be ongoing support and maintenance of the panels, so ultimately that will create employment.”

About 100 jobs are expected to be created during construction.