Canada's Tiniest Airport: A Look Inside

what is the smallest airport in canada

Canada is a large country with many sparsely populated areas, and air transportation is essential for connecting remote communities. While Toronto Pearson Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Canada, there are several smaller airports scattered across the country. One of the smallest airports in Canada is Toronto City Airport, which is named after the legendary Canadian pilot and Air Marshal Billy Bishop. Another small airport in Canada is Kimmirut Airport, located in Nunavut, which has the second shortest runway in the region at 1,899 ft (579 m).

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Toronto City Airport

The airport is located on the Toronto Islands, southwest of downtown Toronto. It is easily accessible from the city, with a pedestrian tunnel and a ferry system connecting the mainland to the island. The airport has one main east-west runway, a shorter runway 20 degrees off, and a seaplane base, Billy Bishop Toronto City Water Aerodrome.

The airport has one passenger terminal, built in 2010, and offers a range of services and amenities for travellers, including complimentary baggage carts, nursing pods, a lost and found, duty-free shopping, and restaurants featuring locally sourced menus.

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Kimmirut Airport's runway

While I am unable to confirm if it is the smallest airport in Canada, Kimmirut Airport is certainly a small public-use airport. It is located on the west side of the Hamlet of Kimmirut, in Nunavut, Canada. The airport serves the community of Kimmirut and is operated by the Government of Nunavut. It is a port of call for air carriers that offer scheduled and charter passenger services.

The runway at Kimmirut Airport is made of gravel and is 1,899 ft (579 m) long and 75 ft (22.86 m) wide. This makes it the second shortest runway in Nunavut, with the runway at Grise Fiord Airport being just 124 ft (37.8 m) shorter. Due to the short length of the runway at Kimmirut, only certain types of aircraft can service the community. Currently, the airport is served by airlines operating Twin Otter aircraft.

Unlike most airports in Nunavut, the Kimmirut Airport runway uses magnetic headings rather than true headings. The airport is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for both day and night VFR and IFR operations. However, operational staff are only onsite during regular published hours. Outside of these hours, call-out procedures are available.

The airport's critical aircraft is the de Havilland Twin Otter. While larger aircraft may operate from the airport, they must comply with Canadian Aviation Regulations. Weather and aircraft advisory services are provided by the Community Aerodrome Radio Station (CARS), which is managed by Nav Canada.

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Toronto Pearson Airport

Toronto Pearson has five runways and two active passenger terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, which are designed to handle all three sectors of travel: domestic, transborder, and international. The airport is the primary global hub for Air Canada and also serves as a hub for other major Canadian airlines, including Porter Airlines, WestJet, Air Transat, and Flair Airlines. It offers flights to more than 180 destinations across all six inhabited continents and handled 46.8 million passengers in 2024.

The airport is operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) as part of Transport Canada's National Airports System and employs around 50,000 workers. It covers an area of 1,867 hectares and features various facilities, including cargo, maintenance, and aerospace production operations. Toronto Pearson provides a range of transportation options for passengers, such as cabs, buses, rental cars, and the Union Pearson Express (UP Express) train service, which connects the airport directly with downtown Toronto.

The airport utilises a Traffic Management Unit (TMU) in the apron control tower at Terminal 1 to control aircraft and ground traffic movements. During the winter months, Toronto Pearson experiences significant snow accumulation, typically ranging from 110 to 130 centimetres. To ensure normal operations, the airfield maintenance unit expands into a dedicated 24-hour snow removal team, employing over 200 workers and utilising various specialised equipment.

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Billy Bishop Airport

The airport has a single runway and a water aerodrome, catering to both land and sea planes. It primarily handles regional turboprop flights due to its shorter runway length. The runway is 2,628 feet (801 metres) long and 150 feet (46 metres) wide, with an asphalt surface.

In conclusion, Billy Bishop Airport, or Toronto City Airport, is a small yet busy airport in Canada, offering convenient access to downtown Toronto. With its proximity to the city and unique characteristics, it stands out among the smaller airports in the country.

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Airports in Nunavut

Canada is a vast country with many sparsely populated areas. Air transportation is essential to connecting remote communities. While Toronto Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Canada, there are many smaller airports across the country, particularly in the Nunavut Territory.

The Nunavut Territory is home to several small and very small airports. The two airports with a significant number of destinations are Rankin Inlet Airport and Iqaluit Airport. Baker Lake Airport is another small airport in the region, serving the community of Baker Lake. It is located near Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, and Whale Cove. Cambridge Bay Airport and Grise Fiord Airport are also located in the Nunavut Territory, with the latter having a runway of less than 2000 feet. Resolute Bay Airport is another airport in the region, but it has faced issues with drunk staff and crashes.

Nunavut's small airports are essential for travel within the territory and connecting its remote communities. Calm Air, Kivalliq Air, Nolinor Aviation, Canadian North, Air Inuit, and Kenn Borek Air are among the airlines that operate flights in Nunavut. These airlines provide vital links between the communities in Nunavut and the rest of Canada.

While Nunavut is served by multiple small airports, larger airports like Toronto Pearson Airport serve as hubs for major Canadian airlines and connect Canada with numerous worldwide destinations. Toronto Pearson Airport, located in Mississauga, Ontario, is about 20km west of downtown Toronto. It offers flights with Air Canada and WestJet, providing extensive cargo operations and connections to public transportation.

Frequently asked questions

Toronto City Airport is one of the smallest airports in Canada.

The airport is named after Billy Bishop, a legendary Canadian pilot and Air Marshal.

In 2017, the airport accommodated close to 3 million passengers.

Air Canada Express and Porter Airlines fly to Billy Bishop Airport.

At 1,899 ft (579 m), the Kimmirut airstrip is the second shortest in Nunavut, Canada.

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