Photo by Emily Chatwood / myFM News
A major investment is set to expand aviation training for Indigenous students in eastern Ontario.
First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) is receiving $4.4 million from the Ontario government to rebuild and grow its aviation facilities after a 2022 fire destroyed a hangar. The announcement was made Friday at the institute’s campus on Airport Road in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
The funding will support Phase 2 of a new hangar project, creating a larger and more advanced training space. Plans include classrooms, briefing rooms, common areas, dispatch space and modern flight simulators. The facility is expected to become a central hub for aviation education at FNTI.
Leaders say the investment builds on a long history at the site, which dates back to 1917 when the airfield was first used for military pilot training. Since FNTI opened in 1990, the school has worked to expand opportunities for First Nations students despite funding challenges.
The province says the funding is part of a broader $6.4 billion commitment to post-secondary education, with a focus on skills training and career readiness. The goal is to help students enter in-demand fields and strengthen the workforce.
FNTI graduates already work across the aviation sector, including medevac, cargo and passenger services, with new programs planned to support helicopter pilot training.
Students say the new hangar will improve training conditions and help bring facilities in line with other aviation schools. There is also a strong need for more Indigenous pilots, especially in remote communities where air travel is essential.
Written by Emily Chatwood
Photo by Emily Chatwood / myFM News
