IQALUIT — The federal government has pledged $2.8 million to support essential air services for remote communities in Nunavut.

Terry Beech, the parliamentary secretary to the deputy prime minister and minister of finance, announced the new funding at the Iqaluit airport Friday on behalf of Transport Minister Omar Alghabra.

Alghabra says the investment will ensure communities continue to have access to air services for the delivery of essential goods and services, business and trade, and travel.

The funding comes from Transport Canada’s Remote Air Services Program, which allocates a fixed amount of funding to provinces and territories with remote communities to ensure they receive essential levels of air service.

Provinces and territories are responsible for distributing the funding to air carriers.

Under the program, 25 communities with airports in Nunavut are considered remote.

The program provided more than $30.6 million to the Nunavut government in 2020 and 2021.