The co-owner of PASCAN Aviation says they are excited to enter the Maritime market.

The Quebec-based airline is launching regional air service between Bathurst, Saint John, and Halifax.

Julian Roberts, who is also the company’s CEO, said they have been eying this route since 2012.

“Lots of things have happened in our lives, in aviation, that changed those things around,” Roberts told reporters on Wednesday.

“But once we were in a place where we could start a small expansion, the first people we got in touch with were Saint John and Bathurst.”

Officials said the new service, which will operate year-round on weekdays, will begin on Sept. 9.

The plane will depart from Bathurst early in the morning and return from Halifax in the late afternoon, with a stopover in Saint John each way.

Air Canada operated a Saint John to Halifax route pre-pandemic, which carried around 24,000 passengers per year.

Roberts said their company’s smaller size and 33-seat aircraft will make it easier for them to operate a regional route.

“Our aircraft is the right size. We’re going to be able to come in and offer frequency to the population densities that we see here. We really believe that’s going to be the success,” he added.

Fares will start at $445 return and can be booked starting June 1 online or by calling 1-888-313-8777.

Roberts said they hope this route will serve as a trampoline and allow his company to expand even further.