Extremely long wait times affecting arriving and departing passengers at Toronto’s Pearson airport are likely to continue until Labour Day, a former Air Canada executive said Wednesday.
“Chaos, messy, impossible, difficult,” were the words used by Duncan Dee to describe the situation at Canada’s busiest airport.
“It’s not where you want to be,” Dee told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning.
Over the last two months, travellers at Pearson have faced long lineups, delays and cancellations, which some blame on continuing COVID-19 restrictions and a labour shortage.
Dee says while Canada’s Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra has promised 400 new screening officers starting at the end of June, he doubts that that’s going to make a huge difference.
“In terms of the customs delays, until the pandemic-era inspections are changed, I hate to think that this is something that’s going to plague us through the entire summer,” Dee said.
“Things should get a little bit easier for those travelling after Labour Day. Unfortunately, that’s also when schools get back so families won’t be able to travel as much.”
LISTEN | Former COO of Air Canada on what’s behind airport delays:
Metro Morning8:48Former COO of Air Canada says lack of preparation by governments exacerbating delays at Pearson Airport
On Wednesday, Alghabra announced on Twitter that the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority has now hired more than 850 new agents across Canada.
“This will help get you through security faster and on your way to your destination,” he wrote in the tweet. “We will keep working to reduce wait times at airports.”
More help is on its way! <a href=”https://twitter.com/catsa_gc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@catsa_gc</a> has now hired over 850 new agents across Canada. This will help get you through security faster and on your way to your destination. We will keep working to reduce wait times at airports. <a href=”https://t.co/kdAEjhPRbg”>pic.twitter.com/kdAEjhPRbg</a>
The delays at Pearson gained added attention this week after former professional hockey player Ryan Whitney took to social media Monday to share his frustration after Air Canada cancelled flights and allegedly had minimal ground staff to assist affected passengers.
“This is the worst airport on earth, I’m telling you there’s no other airport like this,” Whitney said in a video posted on Twitter.
“I am so shocked at this place, it is the biggest disgrace known to man.”
I live at Toronto Pearson International airport. The worst place on earth. I smell so bad. <a href=”https://t.co/PfdnHcO7Ad”>pic.twitter.com/PfdnHcO7Ad</a>
Meanwhile, Toronto business leaders held a news conference last month during which they urged Ottawa to end hours-long delays at Pearson.
They warned during that news conference that passengers would share their experiences with the rest of the world and that could negatively affect arrivals in the medium and long term.
“My concern is that this poor first impression will keep people from returning to Canada or stories of bad experiences here at Toronto’s airport will force travellers to consider other locations and destinations instead,” Edwin Frizzell, general manager of the Fairmont Royal York, said at that news conference.
Another business leader, Jan De Silva, president and CEO of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, said, “International passengers are being forced to wait for up to three hours, sometimes inside the aircraft they flew in on, because of longer processing times by customs officers.”
Edwin Frizzell, general manager of the Fairmont Royal York, expressed concern in May that the poor first impression of Pearson Airport will keep people from returning to Canada. (CBC)
Dee says dropping the COVID-19 screening will “certainly help solve the arrivals problems” at Pearson.
“Right now, according to the airports, it’s taking four times longer for each traveller to be processed through customs, so if you remove those pandemic-era inspections, you’re going to immediately see a four-fold decrease in the amount of time it takes to process passengers — so 30 to maybe 60 seconds per passenger instead of two to three minutes per passenger. That’s a huge, huge savings right there,” he said.
“On the security side, crew members, your flight attendants and pilots are inspected just like they are a traveller just coming off the street, so just stop that. That’s something that other countries don’t even do, but in Canada, we’ve decided that for some reason, the individuals flying the aircraft who all the passengers trust their lives with need to be inspected and need to have their liquids checked every time they go through the airport,” Dee added.
In May, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority also called on Ottawa to urgently to the following to help alleviate the situation at Pearson Airport. Among its recommendations:
Streamline or eliminate inbound legacy public health requirements at Canada’s airports.
Eliminate random testing upon arrival from Canada’s airports and look to options such as community wastewater testing.
Invest in government agency staffing and technology to achieve globally competitive service level standards.
Engage with the U.S. government to ensure staffing and capacity at preclearance sites return to pre-pandemic levels.
In May, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority also called on Ottawa to urgently take steps to help alleviate the situation at Pearson Airport. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
