Aguanish Landing Strip

The primary reason for closure was its replacement by a superior facility. The old Aguanish Landing Strip (CA-0717) was a basic, unpaved gravel runway with minimal infrastructure. It did not meet modern aviation safety standards, was often unusable in poor weather, and could not safely accommodate the larger, more reliable aircraft (like the Beechcraft King Air 100) used for government air services and modern medical evacuations. The construction of the new airport was part of a wider Quebec government program to improve safety, reliability, and access for isolated communities along the Côte-Nord.

The site of the former landing strip is now abandoned and unmaintained. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (50.23537, -62.13373) shows the faint, straight outline of the former runway, which is now an overgrown gravel and dirt track. There are no remaining airport buildings, lighting, or navigational aids. The land has no formal designated use and may be used informally by local residents for recreational purposes such as walking or ATV riding.

For decades, the Aguanish Landing Strip was a critical lifeline for the remote community of Aguanish. Before Route 138 was extended to the village in 1996, the community relied almost exclusively on air and sea transport. The airstrip was vital for essential services, including the delivery of mail and supplies, passenger charter flights, and, most importantly, life-saving medical evacuations (medevacs). Operations were typically handled by bush planes (e.g., Cessna, de Havilland Beaver) and other aircraft capable of landing on short, unprepared surfaces. The strip was fundamental to connecting the village to the rest of Quebec, especially during the long winter months when sea travel was difficult or impossible.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the old Aguanish Landing Strip. Its function has been entirely and permanently superseded by the modern Aguanish Airport (CTH2), which is located less than a kilometer away and features a 3,300-foot paved, lighted runway and superior facilities. Reopening the old, substandard strip would be redundant, economically unjustifiable, and would not meet current Transport Canada aviation safety regulations.