Pem-Air

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Pem-Air, later linked with Trillium Air, was a Canadian airline that operated from 1970 to 2002. Based at Pembroke Airport in Ontario, with Toronto Pearson as its main hub and Pembroke as a focus city, it grew from a small two-flight-a-day operation to a regional carrier serving northern Ontario, Ottawa, and beyond.

Its story began when John Smithman, a former RCAF pilot, teamed up with Pembroke lawyer Del O’Brien and investors to obtain the licenses needed to fly. The airline started daily flights to Toronto using a Beech 18, with a backup Beech 18 leased from a partner. Pem-Air’s early growth was helped by a few promotional moments, including acquiring a Beech 18 from TimeAir, a media event with Air Canada and a Boeing 747 at Pearson, and pilots flying formation to promote the new service. Within three years, passenger loads reached about 2,000 per month, and major clients included the Petawawa Army Base, Chalk River Atomic Energy, and Eddy Match.

In 1994, Jason O’Brien became general manager and led an expansion into northern Ontario. Pem-Air added Piper Navajo Chieftains to connect Kirkland Lake, Earlton, Elliot Lake, Horne Payne, Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie, and Rouyn-Noranda, with continued service to Sudbury and Toronto. The airline also operated routes between Gatineau and Quebec City, and Pembroke to Toronto. A new venture, Trillium Air, launched in 1999 with service between Ottawa and Kitchener–Waterloo using Jetstream 31 aircraft, and plans were made for a Kitchener–Montreal route. At its peak, Pem-Air was flying about 34 flights a day, plus charters and government contracts, including firefighting work for the Quebec Government.

Pem-Air also ran a growing flight school, expanding to five Cessna 172s and an Aztec F, and developed an in-house training program. Brokers in Japan, Austria, and France helped attract students, and Pem-Air worked with Algonquin College to create a professional pilot program, allowing graduates to advance to commercial flying with the airline. The program continues as part of the college partnership.

In 2001, Pem-Air ended its Pembroke–Toronto service as traffic declined after the Atomic Energy of Canada contract waned and the tech downturn affected key markets. The company shifted back toward its flight school and the Algonquin College training partnership. After 31 years, Pem-Air finally ceased operations in 2002. Over its history, the airline also briefly operated other routes, including Ottawa–Kitchener and Ottawa–Hamilton. By 2001, the fleet numbered about 14 aircraft and Pem-Air served around 12 destinations, with roughly 47 employees.