Stuart Lake Water Aerodrome

The closure was an administrative and economic decision. Maintaining a registered water aerodrome involves costs, liability, and adherence to Transport Canada regulations. The operator likely determined it was no longer financially viable or necessary to maintain the official registration, especially since floatplane operations can legally continue on the lake without a registered base. The closure was not the result of a specific accident, military conversion, or environmental disaster.

The physical site of the former aerodrome is now part of the public waterfront in the town of Fort St. James, adjacent to the Fort St. James National Historic Site and Cottonwood Park. The docks are now primarily used as a public and private marina for boats. Although the official aerodrome is closed, Stuart Lake itself remains an active, albeit unregistered, location for floatplane operations. Charter and private floatplanes continue to use the lake and its docks on an ad-hoc basis to serve local industry and tourism, demonstrating the area's ongoing reliance on this form of transport.

Stuart Lake Water Aerodrome was a historically significant base for bush flying in the northern interior of British Columbia. Located at Fort St. James, one of BC's oldest settlements and a former Hudson's Bay Company post, the aerodrome was a critical transportation link. For decades, it served as a launching point for floatplanes supporting the region's core industries: forestry, mining, and trapping. It was also essential for tourism, providing access to remote fishing and hunting lodges. The aerodrome was a hub for various charter companies and legendary bush pilots who were instrumental in opening up and servicing the vast, roadless wilderness of northern Canada.

There are no known official plans or prospects to reopen Stuart Lake Water Aerodrome as a registered aerodrome. Given that floatplane operations can proceed without the official designation, there is little financial or logistical incentive for the municipality or a private company to assume the costs and regulatory burden of re-registration with Transport Canada. The community's primary registered aviation needs are met by the nearby land-based Fort St. James (Perison) Airport (CYJM).