Colomac Airport

Economic reasons. The airport was a private aerodrome built and operated for the sole purpose of servicing the Colomac Gold Mine. When the mine became economically unviable and ceased all mining and milling operations, the airport no longer had a purpose. The subsequent bankruptcy of the parent company led to the complete abandonment of the site and its infrastructure.

The airport site is now part of the Government of Canada's extensive Colomac Mine Remediation Project, which is managed by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC). The entire mine site, including the former airstrip, is undergoing environmental cleanup and reclamation to mitigate the impacts of past mining activities and return the land to a safe and stable state. While the physical outline of the runway is still visible on satellite imagery, it is unmaintained, decommissioned, and not operational. The area is an active, long-term remediation site with restricted access.

Colomac Airport was a critical piece of infrastructure for the operation of the remote Colomac Mine, located approximately 220 km north of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. As a private airfield, it was the primary lifeline for the mine, facilitating the transport of personnel, perishable food, urgent supplies, and equipment. The airport enabled year-round access to the site, which was otherwise only accessible via a seasonal winter road. It handled regular charter flights carrying workers and cargo, likely utilizing STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the DHC-6 Twin Otter or Dash 7, which are well-suited for its gravel runway and the challenging conditions of the Canadian North.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The economic driver for its existence, the Colomac Mine, is permanently closed. The focus of all activity at the site is environmental remediation and returning the land to a condition that is safe for humans, wildlife, and the environment. Future use of the land does not include plans for permanent industrial infrastructure like an airport.