Oceanside Air have 90 days to vacate the Qualicum Beach Airport after the Town tore up a lease agreement after a small birthday gathering on Remembrance Day. (Oceanside Air)

By Alex Rawnsley

PARTY FOUL

Qualicum’s Oceanside Air to be evicted from airport after birthday gathering

Dec 10, 2021 | 5:05 PM

QUALICUM BEACH — A start-up airline providing daily service from Oceanside to multiple destinations is set to close.

Oceanside Air learned in early December their lease agreement with the Town of Qualicum Beach was terminated, following a gathering among employees on Remembrance Day.

Gord Gauvin, a spokesperson for the Qualicum Beach-Parksville Aerospace Industry Association of which Oceanside Air is a member, told NanaimoNewsNOW the complaint stemmed from a small celebration for a pilot’s 57th birthday.

“It’s dumfounding as to how someone sharing some birthday cake and a couple of beverages in their office space after hours could result in the Town deciding to terminate a contractor, a brand new company that’s been showing great promise in developing air travel within the Parksville-Qualicum Beach area.”

Around a half dozen people attended the gathering on Nov. 11, held at Oceanside Air’s space inside the terminal building of the Qualicum Beach airport.

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The entire gathering lasted under two hours with cake and beer served. Oceanside Air believe a person at the airport saw the gathering and made a complaint.

Since the incident, the company’s co-owner Jim Novak said on social media the company admitted their mistake immediately, apologized for it and agreed to take their socializing elsewhere.

Gauvin said he believed the Town terminated the lease based on a clause which allowed either party to do so, provided 90 days notice was given.

Currently, the lease will expire on March 3, 2022.

“As a general rule when you go into business, you exercise that if there’s something that will cause due harm to everybody or just a really bad reason.”

A petition is currently circulating in a bid to garner community support and keep a choice of air service in the community.

“We’re hoping the Town will reconsider their position and support this business that’s employing local pilots, local mechanics, it’s a locally owned business and to take this out of the equation is absolutely ridiculous,” Gauvin said.

The airline employs seven people and invested in maintenance and hangar space in Qualicum Beach.

It recently supported flood recovery efforts in the Lower Mainland and Interior by flying people and supplies to and from affected areas.

The Town of Qualicum Beach issued a statement in response to requests from NanaimoNewsNOW for an interview.

Heather Svensen, acting CAO, said via email the decision was made during a recent in camera meeting of Council and won’t be releasing details.

“After careful deliberation and consideration, Town Council has directed staff to cancel the existing terminal lease for Oceanside Air with 90-days notice, as per the existing lease agreement.”

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alex@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley