Travellers at Canada’s busiest airports experienced a major improvement in flight delays this summer, with delays linked to air traffic control operations falling by about 85 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to NAV CANADA. The improvement was recorded between May 1 and August 31, 2026, at Toronto Pearson, Montréal-Trudeau, Calgary International and Vancouver International airports. During the four-month period, the proportion of scheduled flights affected by traffic-management measures in which NAV CANADA staffing or equipment was a factor fell from 1.54 per cent in 2025 to 0.24 per cent this year. In actual numbers, 4,996 scheduled flights were affected during the same period last year, compared with 769 flights this summer. The improvement came despite the four airports handling more flights than they did during the same period in 2025. Together, the airports handled 394,919 flights, an increase of about 0.9 per cent from the previous year’s 391,245 flights. All four airports recorded improvements. Vancouver International Airport recorded one of the largest changes, with the share of scheduled flights affected falling from 4.42 per cent last summer to 0.64 per cent this year. At Calgary International Airport, the proportion fell from 1.16 per cent to just 0.05 per cent, representing the largest proportional improvement among the four airports. Toronto Pearson recorded the lowest overall share of affected flights, at approximately 0.04 per cent, down from 0.24 per cent a year earlier. At Montréal-Trudeau, the share dropped from 1.16 per cent to 0.28 per cent. NAV CANADA said the improvement was not simply the result of reduced air traffic. Flight volumes actually increased slightly, meaning the air navigation system handled more flights while experiencing substantially fewer delays attributable to staffing or equipment issues. The results come after NAV CANADA implemented an extensive operational readiness plan ahead of the 2026 summer travel season. The organization increased staffing capacity, expanded training, adjusted scheduling and used additional operational resources during periods of peak demand. More than 600 air traffic services professionals have qualified since 2023, while training programs have continued operating at high capacity. NAV CANADA also temporarily returned some operationally qualified employees working in non-operational positions to frontline duties. More than 50 retired air traffic controllers have also been rehired under contracts to provide additional experience and capacity. Technology has played another role in the effort to improve efficiency. NAV CANADA has introduced Arrival Manager systems at all of its Area Control Centres, helping controllers manage aircraft arrivals and improve the coordination of traffic. The organization said the number of air traffic control positions below its target level also improved during the summer. The staffing gap stood at approximately 170 controllers at the end of August, compared with about 200 in the spring. The summer was also particularly significant because Canada hosted matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Toronto and Vancouver. The tournament brought additional international travellers and increased demand on the country’s aviation system. Despite the additional travel demand, NAV CANADA said no traffic-management initiatives attributable to its operations were issued at Toronto or Vancouver on any of the 13 Canadian World Cup match days. The agency credited air traffic controllers, flight service specialists and operational support teams for maintaining service during the busy travel period. However, NAV CANADA cautioned that the improvement does not mean travellers should expect an end to all flight delays.
Weather, airline operations, aircraft maintenance, airport congestion and other factors outside NAV CANADA’s control can still cause significant disruptions. The organization also said that the reduction in delays during the summer should not be considered the end of its staffing and modernization efforts.
The fall and winter travel periods bring different challenges, including winter storms, freezing conditions and changing traffic patterns.
NAV CANADA says it will continue expanding its training pipeline and qualifying new controllers while maintaining investments in technology and operational capacity. The results provide some positive news for Canadian air travellers following several years of concerns about airport congestion, staffing shortages and flight disruptions. For passengers, the improvement means that a much smaller proportion of scheduled flights at Canada’s four largest airports experienced delays connected to NAV CANADA staffing or equipment during the summer. The organization says its focus now shifts toward maintaining that performance while continuing to rebuild staffing levels and prepare for the operational demands of the upcoming fall and winter travel seasons.