Business View Magazine - July 2023

259 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 7 MUSKOKA AI RPORT “It was approved in 2021,” he said, “and that’s to take the airport from where it is now through the next 20 years. It basically provides us a path, where we can move along and grow the airport for developments, not just in hangars but in all aspects of the airport. And we tie it into the economic impact.” In 2021, as O’Connor revealed, that economic impact for the Muskoka Airport was some $40 million. “Now for a small airport, that’s substantial,” he said. “And working with the master plan in five years from 2021, the economists predicted we would have an economic impact of approximately $105 million, and that’s direct, indirect and induced impact. It’s very good. The master plan was derived from complete stakeholders’ computations in the airport, outside the airport, from the chamber (of commerce) and the tourist organizations. And that’s where all the information came from to put this master plan together. It’s a good path forward.” Lehman noted the airport’s ancillary benefits to other businesses. “A really good example is this paint shop: Muskoka Aircraft Refinishing,” he said. “They are bringing in aircraft that are being used by commercial airlines