A patch of cross-border cooperation that gives Canadian pilots direct access to an American airport is in danger of disappearing if a Canadian entity doesn’t take some ownership of the unique relationship. For decades, Canadian pilots have been able to taxi back and forth across the border near Brandon, Manitoba, to use International Peace Gardens Airport in North Dakota. The runway of the American airport is connected by a short taxiway to a ramp area on the Canadian side of the border and by all accounts it’s well used. The local airport authority is happy with the arrangement and wants it to continue, but it needs some kind of Canadian authority to also express that desire.
The airport will be getting a $3.5 million upgrade in the next eight to 15 years and planning is underway. As part of the project, the taxiway needs to be moved because it joins the runway at a 45-degree angle. Current standards require that type of taxiway to intersect the runway at a 90-degree angle. The FAA and local airport authority are willing to pay for the new taxiway but the new alignment won’t connect to the existing ramp on the Canadian side. They need someone in Canada to agree to build a new ramp so the taxiway has somewhere to go. So far, no one on the north side has put up a hand.
“Almost every group that we had reached out to didn’t feel it was their problem, if you will, or there was something that they needed to further discuss. And so we kind of just kept going round in circles,” Kyle Wanner, North Dakota’s aeronautics director, told the Brandon Sun. “Does Canada want their apron or not? Do they want to continue this partnership or not? We just don’t quite have an answer to that yet.” The Sun contacted local, provincial and federal authorities, and none would lay claim to the little patch of pavement that now provides the access nor would they take responsibility for building a new one. Wanner said that if no one steps up on the Canadian side, the State and the FAA will tear up the existing nonconforming taxiway and forget about building a new one, cutting off access to the runway from Canada.
That would result in the loss of a uniquely convenient option for Canadian pilots who want to fly into the U.S. Adam Penner, who owns Harv’s Air Flight Training in Winnipeg, about 100 miles east of Brandon, said he uses the airport dozens of times a year for business trips to the U.S. and the lack of interest from Canadian authorities is annoying. “I’m a bit embarrassed,” Penner told the Sun. “The Americans can resurface the entire runway, and we can’t even get our act together on a little ramp.”
Adam Penner’s embarrassment and the Canadian pilots’ frustration goes away forever if they would simply accept becoming the 51st State of the US. Just sayin’…
(Very cool setup as it is now, though - somebody step up!)
No surprise here. The arrogance and ignorance is astounding, but, not surprising.
If the situation was reversed, I can 100% see the same thing happening on our side of the border.
Couldn’t the new taxiway just be S-curved toward the existing apron? Or if there’s also some minimum straight length, then instead of curving it to the right toward a whole new apron, curve it to the left toward the existing one (maybe even expanding the existing apron size)? Both options would seem to be less expensive than paving a whole new apron.
No doubt the Canadian pilots would find this advantageous, but it requires an allocation of a non-trivial amount of funds, which means that the Canadian government (at some level) must get involved. Given the attitude and behavior of the US government leadership lately, can you blame them for being wary?
They’re taxiing from Brandon?? Man, I thought the taxi at O’Hare was bad
The Canadians might think the US should become their next province.
Must politics invade everything?
Or, North Dakota could consider becoming the 11th province. Just saying’…
I don’t think many Americans realize how offensive calling Canadians the 51st state is to them.
For once, just once, I would like to see everyone just stay away from political posturing over a small issue in the comments. This is about who takes responsibility for some concrete and asphalt that already exists and needs some modification for continued use, and not political pecker measuring rhetoric.
Clearly it is up to the Canadian users to convince their government to pick up the ball, No amount of coulda woulda shoulda here matters.
Well, we might consider a trade just for British Columbia . . .
So, the FEDs require a 90 degree intersection with a runway. I suppose that’s so an aircraft planning to take off can get a good look up the final approach. Rather than an S-turning taxiway, how about a perpendicular taxiway of the required length from the runway and then a turn to the existing ramp?
I didn’t hear any mention of customs at the border crossing. Can someone address that or are comments limited to politics?
Well, if Canadians would unanimously want North Dakota from us, who am I to stand in the way.
No matter who thinks they own what or what triggers hurt feelings (good grief) this seeming indifference from Canadian authorities to the freedom of their pilots is sad.
They can’t even come up with the funds to lay down - as others have suggested - a little curved or straight cement from the border to connect with their present apron.
As Mr. Penner lamented, "I’m a bit embarrassed…“The Americans can resurface the entire runway, and we can’t even get our act together on a little ramp.”
C’mon people, get this done. Some Americans might be miffed at this triviality toward our northern friends. At the least, I suppose since you’re squawking about a little cement, you won’t be able to afford building a border wall to keep your pilots in, right?
Pooch, if you want to rent a dozer and realign the entry to your own grass strip, you’re free to do so. Unless that might affect your neighbor’s use/enjoyment of their property, or cause them harm (e.g. runoff, noise) at which point your local government will get involved and “politics” are now involved.
Well, the Canadians would need to hold a plebiscite, a vote, to make this decision; and in all fairness, with 80 to 90 million Canadians, it would take two states, probably east and west to give Canada the representation it deserves. It will probably take at least 10 years to see that the Canadians need to be North Americans; for the tariff costs to hit home. Knowing they will live better as North Americans. I doubt we will ever be able to call the Canadians Americans; only North American will like work for them. Growing up and living near the Canadian border; in the past, I have considered myself 49% Canadian or 49% North American. I have tried to keep close track of Canadian thinking and was more surprised by President Trumps suggestion, probably like most Canadians. It will take a while for this consideration to sink in.
I don’t know which Canada you are referring to, but the one involved in this airport has less than 42 million Canadians (source: StatCan, 2025-04-01).
6/19/2025
Mr. DeLaHunt,
42 million Canadian citizens?, but like the US has a large illegal immigrant
population; much bigger than the US’s illegal immigrant population; maybe
as high as 30 million illegals. The Canadian government will
never admit how big the illegal population is there.
It appears to me you are playing numbers games with me and manipulating
statistics. But, I will not make a separate check.
Terry Welander
Not possible at the current time. Everything is limited to partisan politics. I’d say a solid 85% of comments is right below the levels of what people must be experiencing on Mark Sugarmountains Fake Book
OK, I’m quoting the official Canadian demographics agency, and you are speculating about unverified numbers which nearly double the count. But you think it is me and not you who is “playing numbers games” and “manipulating statistics”. Right.
It is difficult to solve real-world problems without rational thought, and agreement on a shared reality based on evidence. I am offering evidence.
This IS political. It’s about two countries cooperating to make things work. It was never a problem until the Orange Menace took to insulting their politicians, their country and threatening their sovereignty. And you wonder why they might be less than willing to make accommodations? If someone spit in your face then asked you to help them, how would YOU respond?
Voting has consequences!