Statistics Canada reports that aircraft movements at Canada's major and select small airports totalled 553,695 in August 2026, a 3.6% decline from August 2025. Local movements fell 8.1% year over year, while itinerant movements declined 1.8%.

Local movements (which are often carried out during training flights) declined 8.1% year over year to 152,073. This was the sixth consecutive month of year-over-year decline, coinciding with the steep rise in aviation fuel prices that began in March 2026.

Domestic itinerant movements also fell from the same month the previous year, dropping by 2.6% to 343,081 in August, driven by decreases at smaller airports with flight training activity. Indeed, movements of light aircraft 2000 kilograms and under declined 10.6% (-15,135 movements) from August 2025. Meanwhile, domestic itinerant movements at Canada's four largest airports all saw increases, led by Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International (+780 movements, +5.3%).

Transborder movements were up for the second consecutive month in August 2026 after 15 months of year-over-year declines, rising 1.3% from August 2025 to 39,960 in August 2026. Other international movements also increased, reaching 18,581 (+7.7%).

 

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