Canadian Airport Runway Incidents Hit Record Highs: What Every Air Traveller Should Know

What This Means for You

If you fly within or through Canada — whether for business, family visits, or vacations — you should understand what's happening on the runways beneath you. Runway incursions at Canadian airports have roughly doubled over the past decade and hit a record 639 incidents in 2024, according to Transportation Safety Board data. While the risk of an actual collision remains extremely low, the trend line is moving in the wrong direction at a time when the devastating LaGuardia crash in February 2026 has reminded everyone what happens when runway safety fails.

The good news: the number of the most dangerous close calls — incidents categorized as high-risk with "significant potential for collision" — has actually levelled off to about one per year since 2018. The concerning news: the overall rate of runway incursions (as a percentage of runway movements) has doubled since 2010, meaning the safety margins are narrowing even if catastrophic outcomes remain rare.

Here is what this means for you as a Canadian air traveller, and what practical steps you can take.

If You Fly Frequently (Business Travellers, Commuters)

Understanding your actual risk level:

The probability of being in a runway collision in Canada remains extremely low. No collision has resulted from a runway incursion at a Canadian airport in recent decades. Canada's aviation safety record is among the best in the world.
However, near-misses are increasing. In late February 2026, a Cargojet freight pilot had to execute a high-speed rejected takeoff — an emergency procedure that aborts the flight at the last moment — to avoid hitting three snowplows crossing a runway, according to the Canadian Press. In September 2025, an Airbus carrying 122 passengers narrowly avoided a Bombardier aircraft whose nose had moved 35 feet onto the runway during a ground test at Toronto Pearson, according to CBC News.
The trend is driven by systemic factors, not pilot error alone. According to Transportation Safety Board chairman Yoan Marier, the increase stems from growing air traffic volumes, a shortage of air traffic controllers, and increasingly complex ground operations at major airports.

Practical steps for frequent flyers:

Know your rights under Canada's Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR). If your flight is delayed or cancelled due to a safety incident on the runway, you are entitled to compensation and duty of care (meals, accommodation) under the APPR if the delay exceeds certain thresholds. For delays within the airline's control, compensation ranges from $125 for delays of 3–6 hours to $1,000 for delays exceeding 9 hours on large carriers.
Build buffer time into connections. At major Canadian airports — particularly Toronto Pearson, Vancouver International, and Montreal Trudeau — runway incidents can cause cascading ground stops. If you're connecting, allow a minimum of 90 minutes between domestic flights and 2.5 hours for international connections. This is especially important during winter months when snow removal operations add to runway complexity.
Consider travel disruption insurance. Most Canadian credit cards with travel benefits (like the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite or the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite) include trip interruption coverage. Verify your coverage limits and claim procedures before you need them.

If You're Flying This Spring or Summer

What to expect at Canadian airports:

Potential for ground stops during peak periods. As air traffic volumes increase through the spring and summer travel season, the risk of runway incidents rises proportionally. Based on Transportation Safety Board data, the busiest airports (Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal) account for a disproportionate share of incursions.
Possible air traffic control staffing impacts. Nav Canada, which operates the country's air traffic control system, has been dealing with staffing shortages. According to reporting from multiple outlets, training new controllers takes 2–3 years, meaning the shortage will not be resolved quickly. This can lead to reduced runway capacity and longer taxi times.
Snow and de-icing season may be over, but construction season brings its own risks. Spring and summer runway maintenance projects at major airports introduce vehicles and equipment onto or near active runways — one of the key categories of runway incursion.

Practical planning tips:

Book morning flights. Data consistently shows that morning flights have the highest on-time performance. Delays compound throughout the day, and runway incidents that occur in the afternoon can create cascading delays into the evening.
Download your airline's app. Real-time push notifications about gate changes, delays, and ground stops will reach you faster than terminal display boards. Air Canada, WestJet, and Porter all offer apps with real-time status updates.
Know alternate airports. If you're flying to Toronto, Billy Bishop (YTZ) handles far fewer movements than Pearson (YYZ) and has a simpler runway configuration. For flights to Montreal, consider whether your airline offers service to both Trudeau (YUL) and any seasonal alternatives.

If You Have a Fear of Flying

Putting the numbers in context:

639 runway incursions sounds alarming, but context matters. Canadian airports handled approximately 6.2 million aircraft movements in 2024. That means a runway incursion occurred in roughly 0.01% of all movements — and the vast majority of those incursions involved minor deviations with no risk of collision.
High-risk incidents average about one per year. Since 2018, the number of incidents categorized as having "significant potential for collision" has held steady at approximately one per year — down from higher levels in the preceding decade.
Canada has not had a fatal runway collision in decades. While the LaGuardia crash in February 2026 was a tragedy, it occurred under a different regulatory and operational environment. Canada's Transportation Safety Board actively monitors runway safety, and Nav Canada has been investing in ground surveillance technology at major airports.
The system caught the near-misses. The September 2025 Pearson near-miss and the February 2026 Cargojet rejected takeoff both demonstrate that safety systems — including pilot training and awareness — are functioning to prevent incursions from becoming collisions.

What you can do:

If runway safety concerns are adding to flight anxiety, consider that air travel in Canada remains statistically the safest form of long-distance transportation. Your drive to the airport carries significantly higher risk than anything that happens once you're at the gate.
For those with severe flight anxiety, organizations like the Canadian Aviation Counsellors Association offer programs specifically designed to help with air travel fears, and many are evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy approaches.

For All Canadian Air Travellers

What improvements are underway:

According to the Transportation Safety Board, several initiatives are in progress to address runway safety:

Enhanced ground surveillance technology: Major airports are upgrading to Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS) that provide real-time tracking of all aircraft and vehicles on the ground.
Improved signage and lighting: The TSB has recommended better visual cues at runway-taxiway intersections, particularly at airports with complex layouts.
Air traffic controller recruitment: Nav Canada has expanded its training pipeline, though results will take 2–3 years to materialize given the length of controller training programs.

These improvements will reduce but not eliminate runway incursion risk. Based on our analysis, the most meaningful safety gains will come from technology deployment at major airports — specifically, systems that automatically alert controllers when an aircraft or vehicle enters an active runway without authorization.

The News: What Happened

According to data published by the Transportation Safety Board and reported by the Globe and Mail, the Canadian Press, and Global News, runway incursions at Canadian airports reached a record 639 in 2024 — roughly double the number recorded in 2010. A runway incursion occurs when an aircraft, vehicle, or person is on or near a runway when they should not be.

The data, analyzed by the Canadian Press, shows that while total incursion numbers have climbed steadily, the rate — expressed as a percentage of total runway movements — has also doubled over the same period, meaning the increase is not solely attributable to growing traffic volumes, as reported by Global News.

Transportation Safety Board chairman Yoan Marier told reporters that the rising trend stems from a combination of growing air traffic, a shortage of air traffic controllers, and increasingly complex ground operations at large airports, according to the Globe and Mail. He called for better signage and lighting at Canadian airports as well as broader deployment of technology to improve situational awareness.

The data release comes in the wake of the Air Canada Express Flight 8646 crash at LaGuardia Airport in New York on February 18, 2026, which killed all passengers and crew. Investigators with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board have been focused on air traffic control staffing and cockpit communications in the final minutes before the collision, according to CBC News. While that crash occurred at a U.S. airport, Canadian Jeremy Hansen — one of the Artemis II astronauts — noted during a separate event that the aviation safety community across North America shares lessons learned from such tragedies.

Already in 2026, Canada has recorded three reportable runway incursions — all in February — at Toronto Pearson, Hamilton, and Moncton, according to the Canadian Press. In the most serious recent Canadian incident, a Cargojet pilot conducted a high-speed rejected takeoff in late February 2026 to avoid snowplows crossing an active runway.

Analysis: Why This Matters

Based on our analysis, the record runway incursion numbers reflect a transportation system under growing strain, and the trend has implications beyond aviation safety alone.

The Air Traffic Controller Shortage Is the Core Issue

Canada, like much of the world, is experiencing a shortage of qualified air traffic controllers. Training a controller from entry to full certification takes approximately 2–3 years, and the pipeline of new trainees has not kept pace with retirements and attrition. Nav Canada, the private non-profit that manages Canada's air navigation system, has acknowledged the challenge and expanded recruitment, but the effects will not be felt for several years.

In the meantime, reduced controller availability can lead to longer ground holds, compressed spacing between aircraft movements, and higher workload per controller — all of which increase the probability of errors or miscommunications that can lead to runway incursions.

Technology Is Available but Unevenly Deployed

Advanced surface detection equipment — systems that can track every aircraft and vehicle on the ground and alert controllers to potential conflicts — exists and is deployed at some Canadian airports. Toronto Pearson, for example, has invested significantly in ground surveillance. But smaller airports that handle jet traffic may lack these systems, creating an uneven safety landscape.

The Transportation Safety Board has repeatedly recommended broader deployment of such technology, and its 2025 Watchlist identifies "risk of collision from runway incursions" as an ongoing area of concern.

What Happens Next

Based on the TSB's public statements and Nav Canada's published plans:

2026–2027: Expect continued high incursion numbers as traffic grows and the controller shortage persists. Technology upgrades at major airports will begin to provide marginal improvements.
2028–2030: As newly trained controllers reach full certification and technology deployment expands, we expect incursion rates to stabilize and potentially begin declining.
Regulatory response: The federal government may face pressure to increase Transport Canada oversight of runway safety protocols, particularly if another high-profile incident occurs at a Canadian airport.

Your Action Plan

Immediate (This Week):

Review your travel insurance and credit card benefits to confirm trip interruption coverage in case of runway-related delays
Download your airline's mobile app for real-time flight status notifications
If flying this week, build extra buffer time into airport connections (90 minutes domestic, 2.5 hours international)

Short-term (This Month):

For spring and summer travel bookings, prefer morning departures for highest on-time reliability
Consider airports with simpler runway configurations (Billy Bishop for Toronto, smaller regional airports) when available
Familiarize yourself with Air Passenger Protection Regulations for your rights during delays

Long-term (This Year):

Stay informed on Nav Canada's controller recruitment progress — improvements in staffing will be the single biggest factor in reducing runway risk
Advocate through your MP for increased federal investment in airport ground surveillance technology at mid-sized Canadian airports
For nervous flyers: consider evidence-based anxiety management resources, recognizing that Canadian aviation remains among the world's safest

Other Perspectives

Transportation Safety Board:

Chairman Yoan Marier has stated that the risk from runway incursions "remains elevated until stronger defences are in place," according to the Globe and Mail. The TSB has called for better signage, lighting, and broader technology deployment at Canadian airports. Runway incursion risk remains on the TSB's official Watchlist.

Nav Canada:

Nav Canada, which operates Canada's air traffic control system, has acknowledged staffing challenges and expanded its training pipeline, according to reporting from Global News. The organization maintains that overall system safety remains robust despite the upward trend in incursion numbers.

Airlines:

Canadian airlines have invested in pilot training programs that emphasize runway awareness and ground navigation procedures. The Air Canada Express Flight 8646 crash at LaGuardia has prompted industry-wide reviews of cockpit procedures during ground operations.

Aviation Safety Experts:

According to reporting by the Canadian Press, experts note that the increase in runway incursions is a global phenomenon, not unique to Canada. Growing traffic volumes, airport complexity, and workforce challenges are common factors across North America and Europe. However, the availability of proven safety technology means that mitigation is possible with sufficient investment.

Passengers and Travellers:

Air passenger advocacy groups have called for greater transparency from airports and Nav Canada about incursion incidents, arguing that travellers have a right to understand the safety landscape at the airports they use.

Note: Including multiple perspectives does not imply all views are equally valid, but ensures readers can make informed judgments.

Corrections Policy

We strive for accuracy. If you find an error in this analysis, please email us at [email protected]. We will promptly investigate and correct any factual inaccuracies.

Updates:

No corrections to date (as of April 7, 2026)

Sources

Globe and Mail, "Runway safety incidents on the rise in Canada, but very close calls level off," April 6, 2026
Global News, "Aircraft runway incursions rise in Canada, but one key metric levels off," April 6, 2026
Canadian Press, "Runway safety incidents on the rise in Canada, but very close calls level off," April 6, 2026
CBC News, "It only takes one — Why a runway collision like LaGuardia could happen in Canada," 2026
CP24, "Canada airport runway safety incidents on the rise," April 6, 2026
Transportation Safety Board of Canada, "Risk of collision from runway incursions," 2025 Watchlist
CBC News, "Air Canada Express Flight 8646 LaGuardia crash coverage," February–March 2026
BC Ferries, Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), rppa-appr.ca