Canadore seeks to reinstate chopper pilot program

Canadore College wants to bring back its helicopter pilot program in time for the 2004-2005 academic year.

The college's board of governors voted Tuesday night to reinstate the program, suspended in 1996, pending approval from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Barbara Taylor, Canadore's president, said after the college suspended the program it began a partership with Gateway Helicopters to provide the training.

No provincial funding was provided during that time.

"In our best interest
But "for a variety of reasons," including "the very sad and untimely" death of Gateway's chief flight instructor and the shortage of qualified flight instructors in Canada, "we had to mutally agree with Gateway Helicopters to not take the intake into September 2003," Taylor said.

As part of "our ongoing discussion with our partner," Taylor said, the college then decided "it was in our best interest" to consider reinstating the suspended training program.

Good chance for approval
The program, Taylor said, has been grandfathered by the ministry for approval, "so that we essentially go back to Canadore College's stand-alone program."

While a request will go into the ministry, Taylor said, "ultimately it is up to them what they will fund."

"Certainly my understanding is due to the grandparenting of this we do have a good chance that it will be approved by the ministry and we will be back in that particular type of business in September," Taylor said.