Santa Claus visits isolated northern Manitoba communities

Santa Claus didn't need the help of his reindeer and sleigh for his trip to some of Manitoba's isolated northern communities this week to spread some Christmas cheer.

Families and children were lined up, eager and excited as the 'Santa Express' airplane landed in Bunibonibee Cree Nation on Wednesday and the Jolly Old Saint Nick himself climbed out onto the tarmac.

"How excited they are when they see Santa coming off the plane, the energy and also the excitement is really something. I can't really explain it, but it's something that we have to do for those children," said Grand Chief Garrison Settee of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO).

It's all part of MKO's Santa Express – an initiative that was started in 2009 to bring Santa Claus and his helpers to remote northern First Nation communities.

"For our isolated communities, they don't have an opportunity to go to anywhere to meet Santa, like there's no malls where they can go sit down and take a picture," Settee said.

"So we decided to bring Santa to them."

Santa's visit to Bunibonibee Cree Nation was the first stop in the Santa Express tour. Settee said they are planning to visit at least 20 communities and hand out 20,000 gift bags to children and families.

It's thanks to a partnership with Perimeter Airlines which covers the cost of Santa's flights – which would normally rack up a $60,000 bill.

"We are donating the flights for Santa to get to a bunch of the MKO communities so that the kids can see Santa, sometimes for the first time," said Joey Petrisor, the president and CEO of Perimeter Airlines.

"It's a pretty exciting to time, we decorated the aircraft for Santa and his helpers to go up to the communities."

The Santa Express is all thanks to a partnership between Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and Perimeter Airlines to bring Santa and his helpers to remote northern First Nation communities. (Source: CTV News)

Settee said it has taken a lot of time and effort to get Santa – and his big bag of Christmas presents – ready for the tour.

"We've been working for weeks preparing for this, like our staff (are) very committed," he said.

"It's a massive undertaking, and it takes a lot of time, and a lot of energy, and it takes commitment and teamwork."

But Settee said it is a worthy cause to make sure every child can experience the Christmas magic, regardless of where they live.

"Just bringing the spirit and excitement of Christmas to them so that they can also enjoy that – so that's why we do it."

-with files from CTV's Jill Macyshon