Following the lifting of all COVID-era travel restrictions in Canada, air travel experienced a significant rebound in 2023, although it did not quite reach pre-pandemic levels, as reported by Statistics Canada.
In 2023, Canadian airports handled over 150 million passengers, marking a 26.8 percent increase from the previous year, according to the “Airport Activity” report released on July 4. This figure is approaching the pre-pandemic levels of around 163 million in 2019.
Major airports in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary reported substantial growth in passenger traffic, with each seeing a minimum of a 24 percent increase compared to 2022, according to the report.
Statistics Canada stated, “Passengers returned to the skies in 2023, the first full year since 2019 without any pandemic-related government travel restrictions in place. This reflected an easing of both pandemic-induced labor and supply challenges, allowing the passenger airline industry to meet the growing demand for travel.”
During the initial two years of the pandemic, air passenger traffic saw a steep decline, with numbers dropping to approximately 46.3 million in both 2020 and 2021, according to data from the agency.
In response to the pandemic, the federal government implemented various measures in 2020, including redirecting all international flights to only four major airports and imposing a travel ban on foreign nationals entering Canada. Additional border measures were introduced nationwide, such as mandatory self-isolation upon arrival, the use of the ArriveCan app for submitting travel and contact information, and mandatory COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
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In August 2021, the government announced plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for staff in federally regulated transportation sectors and for travelers. The mandate was implemented despite protests, including concerns about potential violations of charter rights and freedoms.
These travel restrictions were lifted in October 2022, with travelers no longer required to show proof of vaccination, and masks became optional on planes and trains.
Decline in Air Cargo Shipment
While air passenger numbers are on the rise, the air cargo sector continues to face challenges, according to Statistics Canada. Global and Canadian air cargo shipments experienced a decline in 2023 due to economic and geopolitical factors, as noted in a report from Airports Council International.
Canadian airports handled 2.6 percent less cargo in 2023 compared to the previous year. Domestic cargo decreased by 4 percent to 690,000 tonnes, while trans-border and international cargo fell by 1.2 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively.
Statistics Canada highlighted that the decrease in cargo volume passing through Canadian airports was also accompanied by a 15.8 percent decrease in annualized quarterly goods revenue earned by the Canadian airline industry in 2023.
