Across Canada, small airports are quietly disappearing — and with them go vital links to business, travel, emergency response, jobs, and community identity. From urban regions to rural communities, these airports punch above their weight in value. The story of Buttonville Municipal Airport in Markham is one everyone’s heard, but it’s not alone. Farther afield, Chris Hadfield Airport shows another front in the battle to keep local airports alive.

Small and regional airports are often overlooked in national conversations, but they matter for:

• Local business connectivity and economic development.
• Flight training and aviation careers — a pipeline for pilots, engineers, and technicians.
• Emergency services and medevac operations, providing critical links when time counts.
• Tourism, exploration, and remote access that larger hubs can’t serve.
• Community identity and heritage as spaces where generations first learned to fly.

When these assets disappear, whole ecosystems erode with them.

Buttonville was one of Canada’s busiest general aviation airports, a hub for corporate jets, flight schools, medevac helicopters, and aerospace businesses. But as Markham grew — and land value soared — municipal priorities shifted toward housing and commercial development. The airport, long a fixture of the region, was slowly shuttered. Its closure underscored what many aviation advocates had feared: even vibrant local airports are vulnerable without advocates, policy frameworks, and community support.

In southwestern Ontario, Chris Hadfield Airport in Sarnia has faced its own crossroads. Commercial airline service ended years ago, leaving the airport reliant on local flights, business jets, medevac operations, training flights, and general aviation activity. Municipal subsidies have sustained operations, but decisions about long-term governance and funding have been ongoing in city council meetings.

In response, pilots and community members organized what began as the Save Our Airport Rally (SOAR) — a grassroots, fly-in event aiming to showcase the airport’s value, draw attention from local residents and businesses, and rebuild public enthusiasm for aviation. SOAR events, organized with groups like the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association’s Flight 7 chapter, emphasize that general aviation brings corporate travel, tourism inflows, emergency flight support, and economic activity to the region. Participants have offered discounted fuel, community rewards, and public engagement to bring attention to the airport’s potential.

This kind of community-led initiative illustrates that support for small airports doesn’t have to come only from governments — citizens and aviation enthusiasts can play a key role in rallying public awareness and showing decision makers that the airport matters.

Why Small Airports Are Under Pressure

Whether it’s Buttonville or Sarnia, some common challenges are clear:

• Urban development pressures and rising land values push airports off priority lists.
• Economic viability issues after carriers withdraw or traffic declines.
• Policy gaps at provincial and federal levels on how to support regional aviation.
• Limited public awareness of the multifaceted value airports bring.

If we don’t act — and act soon — more runways could fall silent.

So what can we do?

There are tangible ways individuals, communities, and governments can work together:

1. Advocate for Stronger Policy Support

Push for targeted funding, infrastructure grants, and operational support for local and regional airports from provincial and federal governments.

2. Build Community Awareness

Use public events, open houses, school partnerships, and local media to share why airports matter — from economic impact to emergency services.

3. Form Business Coalitions

Create partnerships between local businesses and aviation facilities to expand services, tourism, and commercial opportunities, making airports more financially resilient.

4. Integrate Airports into Long-Term Planning

Urge municipal planners to protect airport lands and infrastructure in regional growth plans, rather than defaulting to redevelopment.

5. Support Grassroots Initiatives Like SOAR

The struggles at Buttonville and Sarnia are not isolated stories — they are part of a broader conversation about what kinds of infrastructure and community assets we value. Small airports are much more than landing strips; they are economic engines, training grounds, emergency lifelines, and community spaces. With smart policy, creative community engagement, and grassroots energy, we can help ensure that these vital hubs continue to serve Canadians for generations to come.