The federal government is in the “early stages” of talks on whether Canada’s airports will be privatized, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon told reporters on Wednesday.
When asked if the government was considering privatizing airports and if so, how many, MacKinnon told reporters that the government was talking with airport authorities.
“We’re in the early stages of a process with airport authorities and other partners to determine the best way forward. The ultimate goal, of course, is to improve the passenger experience, to improve the efficiency of our air transport system,” MacKinnon said.
The government is working with NAV Canada and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to finalize the plan, he said, although he did not say whether this included handing over airport land entirely to private players or plans to have public-private partnerships.
“Indeed, they are a public good and I don’t think that spirit or that philosophy will change,” he said.
When asked if money from investment in Canada’s airports will be funneled into Canada’s new sovereign wealth fund, MacKinnon said, “I don’t think that any determination has been made on that front.”
The federal government is considering inviting private investment into Canada’s airports, according to the Spring Economic Update.
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The federal government says it is working to “unlock the full potential” of Canada’s airports by exploring “alternative models of ownership.”
“The government is also assessing opportunities to unlock the full value of airports in support of investments in Canada’s long-term growth, including through alternative models of ownership, the spring economic update says.
“This work will be advanced with the input of the airport authorities and other stakeholders including airlines and local governments,” the document says.
This is not the first time the Mark Carney government has hinted at privatizing Canada’s airports. In the federal budget presented in November 2025, the federal government said it will “consider options for the privatization of airports.”
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As of 2020, nearly 20 per cent of the airports in the world had been privatized. A 2022 study in the U.S.-based non-profit National Bureau of Economic Research compared the performance of 2,444 airports around the world in 217 countries.
The report found that the number of passengers per flight — a key metric when assessing airport efficiency — increased by 20 per cent when private equity funds buy government-owned airports and overall passenger traffic rises by 84 per cent.
Airports also get bigger with private equity funds as owners, the report found, with private owners adding new terminals and gates. The study also found fewer flight cancellations.
However, flying may get more expensive as the fees that airports charge to airlines rises after an airport is privatized, the report found. The rise in the number of privately-owned airports was also associated with a push for deregulation and pushback against government controls, such as caps or limits on fees.
In the early 1990s, Canada chose to retain public ownership of airports but transferred operations of some of the busiest airports in the country to 21 privately owned airport authorities.
Canada currently has 23 airports that are leased to 21 private airport authorities by Transport Canada, with Mirabel International Airport and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport in Montreal operated by the same authority.
The federal government collects up to 12 per cent of airport gross revenues in the form of rent, the Canadian Airports Council says. Between 1992 and 2019, airports have paid more than $6.5 billion in “rent” to the federal government, the council says.
NO!!! It will just increase prices and lower service. At one time Air Canada was ‘a crown corporation’ that provided good service. Now it’s a poor service, expensive, and unreliable carrier. Having the airports as a private service will cost more, be less efficient with them still demanding tax money (bailouts).
DEFINITELY NOT. ONE HAS ONLY TO LOOK AT PRIVATIZATION IN THE UK TO SEE THE DAMAGE DONE THERE. ALSO, OUR OWN NATRIONAL PARKS. I – SENIOR ON BASIC PENSION – CANNOT AFFORD A VIST TO BANFF OR JASPER, ANYMORE.
PRIVATIZATION OF ANYTHING PUBLIC, IS A DISASTER. IT CREATES TRUMPS.MUSKS AND BEZOS.
Liberals selling the cars tires to pay for the gasoline.
No to privatization of the airports, what is that all about. Federal govt. needs to focus on issues like this, and the borders, no more selling our country out, do your government jobs that you’re getting paid for.
Whoops – I’ll admit the last two sentences in my previous comment had this situation backwards.
Regardless, they are obviously desperate to get funds for the new $50 billion liberal slush fund they want to create.
This just reeks of liberal self-serving. Who the hell asked for this?
When has a monopoly, especially a government one, ever resulted in reduced prices or better offerings?
And remember the Trans Mountain expansion, where a pipeline that would have cost zero taxpayer dollars ended up, under government ownership, costing 30+ billion?
As long as they sell the airports to Brookfield, I’m ok with that.
Brookfield knows how to make money.
VJ, some facts you might find interesting…. Canada has over 1,300–2,000 certified/registered aerodromes (including many small ones), with the vast majority serving southern or urban areas on non-reserve provincial/federal Crown land. “Indigenous land” airports are mostly small community facilities in remote northern or fly-in areas, where nearly all residents are Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis). These are critical for access since many communities lack road connections.
No need to make stuff up, we all have access to google. Have a great day!
Carney is a red Tory obviously with all his banking experience.
What’s funny is reading redneck gas guzzlers say he’s a commie.
bwahahahahahahaha
PP’s people.
Carney might be more right wing than Harper was.
Has McKinnon asked the FN’s if this is ok?. Afterall, they own the land these airports are on.
Highest bidder ” Brookfield” you can count on that. But hey we have an open transparent PM right !!!
Typical neoliberalism.
If a government service makes money, sell it to your rich friends.
If it doesn’t make money (like home delivery of mail), cut it.
The fire sale begins.
Like Try this says, they will sell off assets that the public paid for, embezzle their share, and give the rest to other countries.
It will cost more. And llike JFK and LAX, the wings of the terminals are all owned by the airlines, who cannot agree on design, integration. To make it profitable, rather than break even, the private companies will charge more rent for concession space, and landing fees.
BTW: when do we ever see any return on our investment when the government ‘sells’ taxpayer owned operations? It all gets siphoned back into the pot that the government gives away.
How much ‘rent’ have we seen taken off our taxes? – should be a noticeable amount when it adds up to 6.5 billion.
Like our airport was given to the city, who immediately raised parking fees, and used bylaw to hand out many tickets.
Let’s privatize healthcare, prisons and pension plans while we’re at it, we would be so much better off!! We may not have to pay taxes anymore.