Fort Smith, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport
CA-1157
-
653 ft
CA-AB
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 59.858° N, -111.597° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: EJ7 CEJ7 CEJ7
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The exact date of closure is not officially documented. However, the aerodrome was delisted from the Canada Water Aerodrome Supplement (CWAS) sometime prior to the mid-1990s. Its operational decline likely began in the 1960s and 1970s, corresponding with major changes in regional transportation infrastructure.
The closure was primarily due to economic and infrastructural shifts. The aerodrome's purpose was intrinsically linked to the Slave River as a primary transport corridor. Its redundancy was caused by two main factors: 1) The development of all-weather road connections, particularly the Mackenzie Highway system, which reduced reliance on river barges and supporting air services. 2) The expansion and improvement of the nearby land-based Fort Smith Airport (CYSM), which could handle larger, faster, and more reliable aircraft year-round, making a dedicated water aerodrome at Fitzgerald obsolete for most commercial and government purposes.
The site of the former water aerodrome is now simply a stretch of the Slave River adjacent to the small, unincorporated community of Fitzgerald, Alberta. There is no remaining dedicated infrastructure such as docks, fuel caches, or buildings associated with the aerodrome. The location is within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. While the river itself may be used for informal or private floatplane landings, it is no longer a registered or maintained Transport Canada aerodrome. All official air traffic for the region is handled by the land-based Fort Smith Airport (CYSM).
Fitzgerald Water Aerodrome was located at a historically critical point in Canada's northern transportation network. The aerodrome was situated in the hamlet of Fitzgerald, Alberta, which served as the southern terminus of a 26-kilometer (16-mile) portage route to Fort Smith, NWT. This route was essential for bypassing the impassable rapids of the Slave River. The water aerodrome supported this vital transshipment hub, serving the float and ski planes that were the backbone of northern development before reliable roads. Operations consisted mainly of bush flying charters carrying mail, fur, medical supplies, prospectors, government personnel, and local residents to and from remote communities and camps across the vast region. It was an integral part of the supply chain that began with railways to Waterways, AB, continued via barges on the Athabasca and Slave rivers, and extended into the Mackenzie River basin, with aviation filling the gaps.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Fitzgerald Water Aerodrome. The economic and logistical reasons for its closure remain valid. The region is well-served by established land-based airports and an extensive road network, rendering a registered water aerodrome at this specific location unnecessary for modern transportation or economic needs.
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