Flight delays at Canada’s four busiest airports—Toronto Pearson, Montreal-Trudeau, Calgary, and Vancouver International—declined by approximately 85% in the summer of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, NAV Canada reported on September 29.
Flight Delay Improvements and Traffic Increase
Vancouver International Airport recorded the largest improvement, with flight delays falling from 4.42% to 0.64% between May and August 2026. Across the four major airports, the share of scheduled flights affected by delays dropped from 1.54% in 2025 to 0.24% in 2026. Despite the reductions in delays, these airports managed 0.9% more flights in summer 2026 compared to summer 2025.
NAV Canada Staffing and Operational Measures
NAV Canada employed over 2,800 air
traffic service professionals in 2026, narrowing its air traffic controller staffing gap to about 170 controllers below target by August 31, down from around 200 in spring 2026. To increase operational coverage, management staff temporarily returned to frontline duties and contracts were maintained with more than 50 rehired retired controllers. Investments made before the busy summer season contributed to improved service levels.
Seasonal Challenges and Official Comments
August is traditionally the most demanding month for air traffic due to hot weather and peak travel demand, but NAV Canada stated that performance remained steady through Labour Day 2026. Marie-Pier Berman, NAV Canada’s chief of operations, said
the organization’s staff “stepped up, shift after shift, and the credit is theirs.” She added that efforts to rebuild staffing continue and emphasized that readiness does not guarantee the complete absence of disruptions.
