Takla Narrows Water Aerodrome

The official reason for closure was the de-registration of the aerodrome with Transport Canada. This type of administrative closure is common for small, privately registered water aerodromes. It typically occurs when the primary operator no longer requires or wishes to maintain the official registration due to economic shifts, a change in operational needs, or the cessation of the specific business that sponsored it (such as a local forestry operation, mining exploration camp, or tourism lodge). There is no evidence to suggest the closure was due to a specific accident, environmental concern, or military conversion.

The site itself is a natural, geographic feature—the narrows on Takla Lake. As it is no longer a registered aerodrome, there are no official, maintained facilities, docks, or services designated for aviation. However, the body of water remains physically unchanged and accessible. It is likely still used for ad-hoc, unregistered landings and takeoffs by private and charter floatplanes that continue to serve the Takla Landing community and other local interests. The area is also used for recreational boating and fishing by local residents and visitors.

Takla Narrows Water Aerodrome was a crucial transportation link for the very remote community of Takla Landing and the surrounding region in central British Columbia, which has limited road access. When active, it primarily handled float-equipped, general aviation aircraft such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, DHC-3 Otter, and various Cessna models on floats. Its operations were vital for:
- **Community Access:** Providing passenger, mail, and cargo services for the Takla Nation, the First Nation indigenous to the area.
- **Industrial Support:** Facilitating crew changes, equipment transport, and logistical support for the forestry and mineral exploration industries, which are historically significant in the region.
- **Tourism:** Serving as an access point for remote fishing and hunting lodges on Takla Lake and the surrounding wilderness.
- **Government Services:** Used by various government agencies, including the BC Wildfire Service for fire suppression efforts and by conservation officers.

There are no known plans or prospects to officially reopen or re-register CA-0545 as a water aerodrome. The location remains usable by any suitably equipped and skilled floatplane pilot, making official registration largely unnecessary unless a commercial operator intended to establish a formal, published base of operations there. The existence of the nearby Takla Landing Airport (IATA: YTD, ICAO: CBT4), a gravel airstrip, provides a more reliable, all-season alternative for land-based aircraft, reducing the need for an officially registered waterdrome.