Winisk Airport

The airport was closed because its primary purpose—serving the community of Winisk—was eliminated. On May 16, 1986, an ice jam on the Winisk River caused a massive flood that completely destroyed the townsite. The entire population of the Weenusk First Nation was evacuated. Subsequently, the community was permanently relocated about 30 km inland to a new settlement named Peawanuck, where a new airport (Peawanuck Airport, ICAO: CYPO) was constructed. The original Winisk Airport was therefore rendered obsolete and abandoned.

The airport site is abandoned and derelict. It is located within the boundaries of Polar Bear Provincial Park, a non-operating park in Ontario. Satellite imagery shows the runway is still clearly visible but is in a state of decay and being slowly reclaimed by tundra vegetation. Some building foundations and remnants of the military and town infrastructure may also be present, but the site is not maintained and is inaccessible except by special charter aircraft (landing on the tundra or river ice), boat, or snowmobile. It serves as a historical relic of the Cold War and the former community of Winisk.

Winisk Airport had dual historical significance.

1. **Military Origin:** It was originally constructed in the mid-1950s as a military installation, specifically 'Site 200' of the Mid-Canada Line. This was a Cold War-era chain of Doppler radar stations built across Canada to provide early warning of a potential Soviet bomber attack over the Arctic. The airport featured a long, 6,000-foot gravel runway capable of handling large military transport aircraft like the C-130 Hercules, which were needed to supply the remote radar site.

2. **Civilian Lifeline:** After the Mid-Canada Line was decommissioned in the mid-1960s, the airport was transferred to civilian use and became the essential, year-round transportation link for the Weenusk First Nation community of Winisk. Located in a remote area with no road access, the airport was vital for passenger travel, medical evacuations (medevac), mail, and the transport of all essential goods, including food and supplies.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Winisk Airport. The community it was built to serve no longer exists at that location, and the relocated community of Peawanuck is served by its own modern airport (CYPO). Furthermore, its location within a protected provincial park makes any potential redevelopment for commercial or private use extremely unlikely and environmentally undesirable.