More than half of flights at some Canadian airports getting cancelled, delayed: data
More than half of all flights in and out of some of Canada's major airports are being cancelled or delayed, recent data has shown.
, a data strategy agency based in Fredericton, N.B., has been tracking the data as frustrations mount in Canada over lengthy airport delays, due in part to increased summer travel and not enough airport staff.
Between June 22 and 27, 51 per cent of domestic and international flights at some of Canada's biggest airports, including Toronto Pearson, Montreal Trudeau International, the Ottawa international Airport, Calgary International Airport and Vancouver International Airport, were either delayed or cancelled. The worst was Toronto Pearson where 11 per cent of flights during that same time period were cancelled and 52 per cent of flights were delayed.
"There was some kind of hope for a reprise when the mandates were lifted on the 20th. That hasn't been seen in much capacity yet," DataWazo owner Ray Harris told CTV National News.
"The numbers are about the same pre-20th and post-20th. It just doesn't seem to be getting better."
The federal government removed a requirement on June 20 for domestic and international outbound travellers to provide their proof of vaccination when travelling by plane or train.
Pushed by the tourism and airline sectors, they believed the move would help increase staffing levels.
However, documents presented to Parliament and reviewed by CTV National News show the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) had 1,904 officers working at airports in Canada as of May 1, 2022, below 2,033 on Jan. 1, 2020 and 1,981 on Jan. 1, 2016.
As of May 4, 2022, 103 CBSA employees were on unpaid leave due to their vaccination status. CBSA officers facilitate the flow of incoming international travellers, and are responsible for checking documentation from passports to proof of vaccination.
Meanwhile, the documents show there were 6,867 people employed by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's (CATSA) third-party contractors to do airport security screenings as of May 16, 2022.
This is compared to 7,420 active screening officers on Jan. 1, 2020, and 5,509 on Jan. 1, 2016.
Six CATSA employees were on unpaid leave due to their vaccination status as of June 14. CATSA is responsible for passenger and baggage screening at Canadian airports.
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says while the federal government anticipated a return to travel, few predicted the surge happening now.
But he says 91 per cent of passengers currently waiting in CATSA lines are being processed within 15 minutes or less, which he called a significant improvement from three or four weeks ago.
"On our end, we have done everything we can that is within the control of the federal government," he said. "Now, we need to work with airlines and airports at dealing with the flight delays and luggage handling issues because we need the cooperation of airlines and airports to address these issues."
Mark Weber, national president of the Customs and Immigration Union, says the number of front-line workers has experienced a "slow erosion" for some time.
"So right now, we are hiring the same amount as we hired last year and the year before. The numbers that were hiring are just basically covering attrition," he said.
Meanwhile, the CBSA is imposing mandatory overtime and suspending non-essential training under its "summer action plan."
Even if more people were hired this year, Weber says under the current system an individual must go through 18 weeks of training and one year of apprenticeship before becoming a full officer.
"So to address things for this summer, that ship has kind of sailed."
With files from Â鶹´«Ã½ and The Canadian Press
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
An Edmonton man says he was in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was injured by members of the Edmonton Police Service last year.
Air Canada union head says she'll resign if pilots reject deal
The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she'll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.
Toronto police say they are searching for a suspect who allegedly shot and killed his brother in an argument at a Scarborough housing complex late Saturday night.
John Mulaney and Olivia Munn have second child, a daughter named Mei
Comedian John Mulaney and actor Olivia Munn now have a second child, a daughter named Mei June Mulaney.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, makes first public appearance after cancer treatment
Kate, the Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance Sunday since she announced she had completed chemotherapy and would return to some public duties.
2 suspended from U.S. college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student's body
At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student's body, officials said.
How does your health measure up? Criticism of long-time tool used to track progress
Body mass index, a long-time tool used to measure a person's health, may soon be out the door as some health professionals push for a system they say is more accurate.
North Carolina's Robinson, omitted from Trump rally, avoids comment on report about online posts
North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson avoided directly weighing in during a gubernatorial campaign event Saturday on a CNN report outlining evidence that he made disturbing posts on a pornography website's message board more than a decade ago.
Netanyahu considering plan to force all Palestinian civilians out of northern Gaza to besiege Hamas
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is considering a plan to force all Palestinian civilians out of northern Gaza, including Gaza City, in order to lay siege to Hamas and force the release of hostages.
Local Spotlight
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.