New Cree-owned airline launches in Chisasibi

A new 9-passenger Beechcraft King Air 350 landing on the runway in Chisasibi, Quebec helped the Cree Nation of Chisasibi mark the launch of its new airline earlier this month.

In an email to CBC news, Chisasibi Chief Daisy House said many people got emotional that day.

"It was a sight to see when the pilots of SiBi Air did a speedy fly-over Chisasibi," she said.

For more than 20 years, community members and officials have discussed the idea of Chisasibi owning its own plane or airline.

SiBi Air, owned by the Cree Nation of Chisasibi, will provide medical evacuation and charter flight services, according to a press release. Chisasibi is the only community in Eeyou Istchee with an outpatient hospital – and construction on a bigger $420 million hospital is scheduled to begin this spring.

"We put a lot of work into this project, so it is successful," said Barry Bearskin, director general of operations for the Cree Nation of Chisasibi. "We did what the people wanted considering it's been discussed for a long time."

SiBi Air celebrated its service launch on March 5. Plans for the airline's future are already taking shape. The community hopes to add a bush plane to cater to land-users who stay out on the land most of the year, as well as helicopter services and a pilot training program.

"I am anxious to start the pilot programming school here in Chisasibi, for anyone who wants to follow a pilot program, so they don't have to move down south to take the training to be a pilot," said Bearskin.

Bearskin hopes the program will help the airline to have entirely Cree pilots in the future.

"We are trying to create more opportunities for people in different fields," said Bearskin.

House, meanwhile, said her council has always shown support for the idea of having its own airline.

"The day of the service launch of SiBi Air was truly a proud moment for Chisasibi," she said.