Red Lake Airport

Red Lake Airport
Red Lake Airport
	IATA: YRL; ICAO: CYRL; WMO: 71854;
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	The Corporation of the Municipality of Red Lake
Operator	Municipality of Red Lake / Thunder Bay Airport Services Inc
Serves	Red Lake, Ontario
Location	Cochenour
Time zone	CST (UTC−06:00)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC−05:00)
Elevation AMSL	1,266 ft / 386 m
Coordinates	51°03′54″N 093°47′41″W / 51.06500°N 93.79472°W
Website	http://redlake.ca/web/airport.php
Map
	CYRL Location in Ontario
Runways
Statistics (2010)
Aircraft movements
Aircraft movements	25,094
	Sources: Canada Flight Supplement; Red Lake Airport; Environment Canada; Movements from Statistics Canada

Red Lake Airport (IATA: YRL, ICAO: CYRL) is located 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) north of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Red Lake Airport is located 1 km (0.62 mi) south of the community of Cochenour. The airport serves as a point of call for air carriers offering scheduled passenger service, and an operating base for Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. It services both private and commercial fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter operators located on site.

History

Commercial air service to the area began in 1926 using the waters of Howey Bay on Red Lake as a float and sea plane base. Due to the freight requirements of the gold mines developing in the area, Howey Bay was recognized as the busiest airport in the world during 1936 and 1937.^[4]^[5]

Construction of a 4,000 ft × 150 ft (1,219 m × 46 m) gravel runway began in 1946 and was put into use of May 29, 1947 when Canadian Pacific Air Lines began daily service from Winnipeg.^[6]^[7]

The airport operated privately until 1959 when the Department of Transport took over and lighting was installed.^[8] In 1996, the Township of Golden became the owner/operator of the Red Lake Airport. In 1998, the Township of Golden and Red Lake along with the Local Services Board of Madsen amalgamated to form the Municipality of Red Lake.^[9]

In 1993, the paved runway was extended to 5,000 ft × 150 ft (1,524 m × 46 m) to help serve the future growth of the Red Lake area.^[10]

In October 2011, a new airport terminal opened, replacing a small terminal building from the 1980s. On June 22, 2012, the airport terminal was officially named J.E.J. Fahlgren Terminal after a local mine manager and community leader.^[11]^[12]

Those leaving or arriving in Red Lake now enter a building that has a large ticket and rental car counters, luggage carousels, naturally lit seating areas, Nav Canada offices and space for administration. A modern parking lot has been implemented and a rental space is available for franchises inside the airport terminal building.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations
Bearskin Airlines^[13]	Sioux Lookout, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg
North Star Air	Deer Lake, North Spirit Lake, Pikangikum, Poplar Hill
Superior Airways	Charter: Thunder Bay, Winnipeg
Wasaya Airways	Sioux Lookout

References

^ Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 27 November 2025 to 0901Z 22 January 2026.
^ "Synoptic/Metstat Station Information". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2011-03-18.
^ Total aircraft movements by class of operation
^ "Red Lake History". Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1936, Howey Bay, in the heart of Red Lake, was the busiest airport in the world, as aircraft of all shapes and sizes, on floats or skis, transported freight and passengers in and out of the area at 15 minute intervals.
^ "History". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1936 Howey Bay in Red Lake was listed as the busiest airport in the world! The bush plane donning either floats in summer months or skis in the winter became the preferred method of transportation in and out of Red Lake during the gold rush.
^ "By Air - Red Lake Air Transportation". Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1946 construction of an airport began on the Martin-McNeeley property in Cochenour. A 1219 x 46-metre (4000 x 150-foot) gravel runway was built. On May 29, 1947, the airport opened and daily services by Canadian Pacific Airlines commenced to Winnipeg.
^ "Canadian Pacific Air Lines (CPA)". Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2025-12-28. On July 1, 1942, only six weeks after its formation, CPA began operations. For the next seven years the new company operated simply as a regional carrier in six provinces - British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
^ "Red Lake Airport". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. The Airport operated privately until 1959 when the Department of Transport took over and lighting was installed.
^ "Red Lake Airport". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1996, the Township of Golden became the owner/operator of the Red Lake Airport. In 1998, the Township of Golden and Red Lake along with the Local Services Board of Madsen amalgamated to form the Municipality of Red Lake.
^ "By Air - Red Lake Air Transportation". Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1993, the runway was extended to 1524 x 46 metres (5001 x 150 feet).
^ Jennifer Thurbide (2 July 2012). "Community celebrates naming of Fahlgren Terminal". www.thenorthernsun.com. The Northern Sun News. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
^ "Red Lake Airport". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In October 2011, a brand new state-of-the-art Airport Terminal opened its doors. On June 22, 2012 the Airport Terminal was officially named J.E.J. Fahlgren Terminal after a man with a great vision for the area.
^ "Bearskin Airlines to discontinue passenger service in..." Northern Ontario Business. 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2025-12-28. Bearskin will continue to operate regular scheduled services to Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and North Bay.

External links

Media related to Red Lake Airport at Wikimedia Commons

[CFS-1] Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 27 November 2025 to 0901Z 22 January 2026.

[2] "Synoptic/Metstat Station Information". Archived from the original on 2012-07-07. Retrieved 2011-03-18.

[move-3] Total aircraft movements by class of operation

[4] "Red Lake History". Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1936, Howey Bay, in the heart of Red Lake, was the busiest airport in the world, as aircraft of all shapes and sizes, on floats or skis, transported freight and passengers in and out of the area at 15 minute intervals.

[5] "History". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1936 Howey Bay in Red Lake was listed as the busiest airport in the world! The bush plane donning either floats in summer months or skis in the winter became the preferred method of transportation in and out of Red Lake during the gold rush.

[6] "By Air - Red Lake Air Transportation". Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1946 construction of an airport began on the Martin-McNeeley property in Cochenour. A 1219 x 46-metre (4000 x 150-foot) gravel runway was built. On May 29, 1947, the airport opened and daily services by Canadian Pacific Airlines commenced to Winnipeg.

[7] "Canadian Pacific Air Lines (CPA)". Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2025-12-28. On July 1, 1942, only six weeks after its formation, CPA began operations. For the next seven years the new company operated simply as a regional carrier in six provinces - British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.

[8] "Red Lake Airport". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. The Airport operated privately until 1959 when the Department of Transport took over and lighting was installed.

[9] "Red Lake Airport". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1996, the Township of Golden became the owner/operator of the Red Lake Airport. In 1998, the Township of Golden and Red Lake along with the Local Services Board of Madsen amalgamated to form the Municipality of Red Lake.

[10] "By Air - Red Lake Air Transportation". Red Lake Regional Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In 1993, the runway was extended to 1524 x 46 metres (5001 x 150 feet).

[11] Jennifer Thurbide (2 July 2012). "Community celebrates naming of Fahlgren Terminal". www.thenorthernsun.com. The Northern Sun News. Retrieved 6 February 2018.

[12] "Red Lake Airport". Municipality of Red Lake. Retrieved 2025-12-28. In October 2011, a brand new state-of-the-art Airport Terminal opened its doors. On June 22, 2012 the Airport Terminal was officially named J.E.J. Fahlgren Terminal after a man with a great vision for the area.

[13] "Bearskin Airlines to discontinue passenger service in..." Northern Ontario Business. 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2025-12-28. Bearskin will continue to operate regular scheduled services to Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and North Bay.

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History

Airlines and destinations

See also

References

External links