Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah checks out new helicopter.

Peel Regional Police have a new tool in the sky as the Ontario government has delivered the first helicopter to serve the region through its Joint Air Support Unit.

The H-125 helicopter marks the first time Peel police have had their own helicopter, giving officers in Mississauga and Brampton a new way to track suspects, stolen vehicles and respond to major emergencies from above.

The aircraft is the first helicopter to enter service under Ontario’s $191-million Joint Air Support Unit, a provincewide initiative aimed at expanding aerial policing capabilities.

For Peel, the addition could be particularly important in the fight against auto theft and organized crime, while also giving officers another tool during critical incidents.

The helicopter will be used to track stolen vehicles, monitor dangerous driving and support investigations into organized crime. Its surveillance technology will also allow officers to locate suspects and coordinate emergency responses while giving police an aerial view that isn’t possible from the ground.

Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said the helicopter will also help officers locate missing people more quickly, safely track suspects and respond more effectively to critical incidents.

“This helicopter will greatly assist our officers in locating missing people faster, safely tracking suspects from the sky, and responding more effectively to critical incidents,” Duraiappah said.

The aircraft will not only be used for Peel investigations. It will also be available to support provincial and regional policing operations, including work with the Ontario Provincial Police and neighbouring police services including Caledon.

That ability to work across jurisdictions could be particularly useful in Peel, where suspects and stolen vehicles can quickly move between Mississauga, Brampton, Toronto, Halton and other parts of the Greater Toronto Area.

Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said criminals are becoming more sophisticated and police need modern tools to keep pace.

“This new helicopter will help officers respond faster, coordinate more effectively and strengthen the fight against organized crime, auto theft and dangerous criminal activity,” Kerzner said.

Ontario is spending $134 million through the Joint Air Support Unit to acquire five helicopters serving the GTA and Ottawa. A further $57 million announced in the 2025 provincial budget will fund two H-135 helicopters for Windsor Police Service and Niagara Regional Police Service.

The Peel helicopter is an H-125, manufactured by Airbus, and will provide police with what is essentially an additional set of eyes above the region.

For Mississauga and Brampton, that could mean police having a better chance of keeping sight of fleeing suspects, locating stolen vehicles and quickly finding vulnerable people or missing persons — particularly when every minute matters.

The Ontario Provincial Police is also supporting Peel’s new helicopter through the Joint Air Support Unit, with OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique calling aviation an effective tool during time-sensitive incidents.

The arrival of the aircraft represents a significant expansion of Peel police capabilities after years in which the region did not have its own dedicated helicopter.

With the new aircraft now in service, police in Mississauga and Brampton have another tool to take their fight against crime into the air.

🚁Introducing Peel Regional Police’s newest public safety asset: the Airbus H125.

Our new police helicopter will support emergency response, assist in locating missing and vulnerable people, strengthen investigations, and provide critical aerial support across Peel Region.… pic.twitter.com/tMWZlMWdae

— Peel Regional Police (@PeelPolice) August 12, 2026


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