Terrace / BC Hydro Heliport

Terrace, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport

ICAO

CA-1013

IATA

-

Elevation

195 ft

Region

CA-BC

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 54.519201° N, -128.628016° E

Continent: NA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: BW5 CBW5 CBW5

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 25, 2025
Closure Date

The exact date of closure is not publicly documented. However, based on historical aviation records and the state of the helipad markings, it is estimated to have been officially decommissioned sometime in the early to mid-2000s. The heliport is no longer listed in the Canada Flight Supplement (CFS), the official guide for Canadian aviation.

Reason for Closure

The closure was due to a change in the operational requirements of its owner, BC Hydro. Reasons likely include:
1. **Consolidation of Services:** It was more efficient and cost-effective for BC Hydro to consolidate its aviation operations and charter services from the nearby and much larger Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat (CYXT), which offers comprehensive fuel, maintenance, and hangar facilities.
2. **Redundancy:** The specific need for a dedicated heliport at this downtown administrative site may have diminished as major construction projects in the immediate vicinity were completed or as maintenance strategies evolved.
3. **Urban Development & Safety:** As the city of Terrace grew, operating a heliport in a central, increasingly developed area could have raised safety and noise concerns, making a move to the main airport a more prudent choice.

Current Status

The site remains an active BC Hydro administrative office and operational depot for ground vehicles and equipment storage. Satellite imagery of the coordinates confirms the location is the BC Hydro yard at the corner of Kalum Street and Greig Avenue in Terrace. The original concrete helipad, a circle with a very faded 'H' marking, is still visible in the yard. However, the area is now primarily used for parking fleet vehicles and storing materials, with no infrastructure (like windsocks or modern markings) to support active aviation. The heliport is defunct, and the land has been fully repurposed for BC Hydro's ground-based operations.

Historical Significance

The Terrace / BC Hydro Heliport was a private, special-purpose heliport owned and operated by the British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority (BC Hydro). Its primary and sole function was to support BC Hydro's operations in the rugged and remote terrain of northwestern British Columbia. Helicopters based at or using this facility were essential for:
- **Power Line Patrol:** Conducting aerial inspections of high-voltage transmission lines to identify damage or potential issues.
- **Construction & Maintenance:** Transporting crews, tools, and materials (such as insulators, hardware, and even sections of towers) to remote transmission towers and substations that were inaccessible by ground vehicles.
- **Emergency Response:** Rapidly deploying personnel to repair storm damage and restore power during outages.
The heliport was a critical logistical hub that played a direct role in maintaining the reliability and integrity of the region's electrical grid.

Reopening Prospects

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the CA-1013 heliport. Given the operational efficiencies of using the main regional airport (CYXT) and the likely safety and noise considerations of a downtown location, it is extremely unlikely that BC Hydro would ever reactivate this site for aviation purposes. Any future helicopter requirements for BC Hydro in the Terrace area will continue to be served by charter companies operating out of the Northwest Regional Airport.

Nearby Airports

Terrace (Mills Memorial Hospital) Heliport
CBU5
Terrace, CA
Heliport
~2 km away
Northwest Regional Airport Terrace-Kitimat
YXT • CYXT
Terrace, CA
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~7 km away
Kitimat Airport
CBW2
Kitimat, CA
Small Airport
~39 km away
Minette Bay Water Aerodrome
CA-0847
Kitimat, CA
Seaplane Base
~56 km away
Woodcock Airport
CBQ8
Woodcock, CA
Small Airport
~66 km away
Nass Camp Airstrip
CA-0337
Nass Camp, CA
Small Airport
~89 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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