About Wasaya Airways LP
Wasaya Airways LP is the first 100% First Nations owned domestic airline with its headquarters in Thunder Bay, Northern Ontario, Canada. Its main hubs are the Thunder Bay International Airport and the Sioux Lookout Airport, however, it also offers a charter and cargo service from a base in Red Lake Airport and Pickle Lake Airport. In 2003, Wasaya Airways bought the rights to serve remote First Nations communities from Bearskin Airlines. The airline also supplies food, clothing, hardware and other various supplies to 25 remote communities in Ontario.
Imagine the quantities of food, clothing, hardware, building materials, gasoline, heating fuel, boats, motors, snowmobiles, medical supplies, school and office supplies that are required to meet the needs of over 25 communities with populations of 500 to 4,000 people. Now imagine having to air transport all of the supplies in to these communities whom do not have road access to southern markets, suppliers and manufacturers.
Enter Wasaya Airways LP. Incorporated by Wasaya Corporation (now Wasaya Group Inc) in 1989 for a requesting group of Northwestern Ontario First Nations, whose purpose was to acquire controlling interest in what was known as Kelner Airways. In 1993, the Kelner Airways name changed to Wasaya Airways Limited. By this time the Wasaya Corporation had purchased 75% of the Kelner Airways common and preferred shares. In the fall of 1998, Wasaya Airways purchased the remaining common shares and this enabled Wasaya Corporation to hold 100% ownership of Wasaya Airways LP, thus making it 100% First Nation owned.
The current First Nation owner communities of Wasaya Airways LP are:
- Bearskin Lake First Nation
- Fort Severn First Nation
- Kasabonika Lake First Nation
- Keewaywin First Nation
- Kingfisher Lake First Nation
- Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation
- Muskrat Dam First Nation
- Nibinamik First Nation
- Pikangikum First Nation
- Sandy Lake First Nation
- Wapekeka First Nation
- Wunnumin Lake First Nation
Wasaya means “rising sun” in the Oji-cree dialect and the logo of Wasaya Airways, which depicts a sunburst with eight sunrays, representing each of the original owner communities.
Company Details
Website
Headquarters
Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
Year founded
1989
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