There will be restrictions and closures of air corridors around Olympic venues during the 2010 Games in Vancouver, CBC News has learned.

Insp. Barry Nickerson, of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit, says Lower Mainland's air space is the most complex in Canada in terms of volume and geography.
(CBC)

Insp. Barry Nickerson, of the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (ISU), told CBC News in an exclusive interview that exact closures of air corridors are still being worked out with input from an aviation advisory committee.

"It would be absolutely fair to say there will be some restrictions," Nickerson said. "Any Olympic venue is a high area of concern."

The ISU has been seeking input from the aviation advisory committee which was set up 18 months ago and is comprised of a group of industry stakeholders including pilots, business interests and helicopter associations both in Vancouver and Whistler, Nickerson said.

Ken Glaze, vice-president of HeliJet, says his company has been kept in the dark about air space closures and possible groundings of flights.
(CBC)

"That's part of the process with the [aviation] industry in figuring out, with their feedback and input, what exactly we can do to restrict what will have the least impact on them," he said.

The ISU will meet with the committee on March 13, briefing them on the next phrase of concepts and ideas and asking for feedback.

Ken Glaze, vice-president, business development of HeliJet, said his company has not been told there will be air space closures and possible grounding of flights.

A view of the Vancouver Harbour where construction of an Olympic Games venue is under way.
(CBC)

HeliJet, which runs a helicopter passenger service from Victoria to Vancouver Harbour and on to the Vancouver airport, was only invited to one meeting with Olympic security officials nine months ago, Glaze said.

"We have not heard this [air space closures] and this is surprising and a little bit disturbing," Glaze said. "We will probably be looking for some kind of compensation …"

Nickerson said the geographical features of the Lower Mainland and the adjacency of the Vancouver International Airport to the U.S. border pose a big challenge to safety and security.

"We are dealing with the most complex air space in Canada here, based on not only the volume but also the geography here in the Lower Mainland area," he said.

"That's a huge challenge in trying to maintain safety and security during the Olympic game period."