Billy Bishop opens new U.S. Preclearance facility

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is marking the opening of its new U.S. Preclearance facility, a milestone that it says was “more than a decade in the making.”

“Thanks to the partnership and dedication of our airport community, and our U.S. and Canadian government partners, this vision becomes reality tomorrow [March 10] with our first flight to New York,” the airport wrote on its LinkedIn page Monday (March 9).

Preclearance promises faster arrivals, smoother connections, new route opportunities, and a more seamless experience for every traveller passing through YTZ.

“This is a major step forward for our airport, our city, and the future of travel,” the airport said.

As previously reported, the Government of Canada has invested $30 million in the new facility.

“Strong transportation links are important to our economy. The new preclearance facility at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will make cross-border travel easier for passengers while enhancing border security and improving efficiency. By investing in modern infrastructure, we are strengthening our transportation system and ensuring Canada remains competitive, resilient, and well-positioned for continued economic growth,” said Transport Steven MacKinnon in a statement Monday.

Research by York Aviation shows that the airport has the potential to deliver $5.3 billion in economic output through the increased aviation activity that Preclearance will bring about.

The new facility coincides with Air Canada's expansion at Billy Bishop, introducing new non-stop routes to the U.S.

The airline’s new schedule at YTZ includes flights to key financial markets, including New York’s LaGuardia (4x daily, March 29) Washington Dulles International (1x daily, June 1), Chicago O’Hare (2x daily, June 1) and Boston Logan International (3x daily, July 1).

“This is our most significant expansion at Toronto Island since Air Canada first served the airport 35 years ago,” said Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer, and president, cargo, at a press conference last October.

Rival Porter Airlines, which is headquartered at Billy Bishop, already operates flights to Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington.

Billy Bishop is the ninth busiest airport in Canada and the fifth busiest serving U.S. markets.

The downtown airport on the Toronto Islands welcomes roughly 450,000 U.S. passengers per year.

Federal officials say Canada accounts for the majority of U.S. preclearance traffic worldwide, with Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal handling three out of every five precleared travellers globally.

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