It's been given the initial green light but more planning is needed.  City council has agreed, in principal, to form a Moose Jaw Municipal Airport Authority.

The move was initial suggested by a group of airport users who are concerned with the condition and size of the local facility northeast of the city.  Councillor Scott McMann made the motion to start the project off the ground.

"the airport authority is the best means to try and garner federal and provincial grant money to try and expand or extend the length of the runway out there." said McMann following the meeting. "The operation is just sort of out there and we're not really utilizing the airport to it's full extent."

Along with the motion was approval of a 500,000 grant and matching loan that would be used to secure federal and provincial funding for upgrades.  That funding was a concern to Councillor Dawn Luhning who said there are many other major infrastructure projects that need money and don't have it right now, questioning why the airport has become such a high priority.

McMann explained if that upper level funding doesn't happen, then no city dollars will be used either and that was a factor in his support for the project.