NAV CANADA reported a 91 percent decrease in flight delays attributable to its operations at Canada’s four busiest airports—Toronto Pearson, Montréal-Trudeau, Calgary, and Vancouver International—between May 1 and July 7, 2026, the period covering the FIFA World Cup held in Toronto and Vancouver.
The reduction lowered the share of scheduled flights affected by NAV CANADA-related traffic management from 1.72 percent in 2025 to 0.15 percent in 2026. At Vancouver International Airport, where several World Cup matches took place, the percentage of impacted flights dropped from 4.99 percent to 0.34 percent. Overall flight volumes during this window remained nearly steady, declining
0.9 percent across the four airports, with Toronto Pearson experiencing a 2.0 percent increase in traffic.
World Cup Airspace Restrictions and Match Day Operations
Between June 12 and July 7, Toronto and Vancouver hosted 13 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, the largest North American sporting event to date. Temporary airspace restrictions over both cities, published in partnership with Transport Canada, reduced available airspace and added security challenges during the tournament.
Despite these constraints, NAV CANADA did not issue any traffic management initiatives attributable to its staffing on any of the 13 match days at Toronto Pearson or Vancouver International. The only interventions on match days included routine arrival
sequencing at Vancouver and a single weather-related ground stop at Toronto. NAV CANADA implemented Prior Permission Required protocols for business and general aviation at both gateways throughout the World Cup period.
Increased Air Traffic and Regional Growth
Flight traffic within the Montréal flight information region, encompassing Canadian-controlled airspace for domestic and international operations, rose by nearly 11 percent in June 2026 compared to June 2025, according to data from Aireon. This region saw one of the highest growth rates in North America. Other Canadian-managed sectors, including the Gander and Moncton regions, also recorded significant increases in flight volumes during the summer of 2026.
Operational Readiness and Staffing Measures
NAV CANADA’s improvements
stemmed from executing the May 2026 readiness plan, which included staffing levels higher than any time since the pandemic, re-engagement of over 50 retired controllers through contracts, and targeted scheduling incentives at air traffic control facilities. Since 2023, over 600 air traffic services professionals have earned licenses, with net staffing growth surpassing attrition by 26 percent in 2024-2025. The agency deployed technology upgrades such as Arrival Manager systems at all Area Control Centres.
Sustained Readiness Through Labour Day
All summer operational measures remain active through Labour Day 2026 to manage anticipated peak seasonal demand and weather challenges. August typically brings the most intense convective weather,
and NAV CANADA plans to maintain peak-period staffing and coordinate daily with airlines, airports, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and Transport Canada.
Marie-Pier Berman, NAV CANADA’s Vice President and Chief of Operations, credited the workforce for handling North America’s highest traffic increases safely during this period. She stated, “In May, we said our team was ready. The results show they were.” She added that readiness involves having the personnel, processes, and technology to manage seasonal pressures safely and transparently.
