Liberal government quietly has a short list in hand, but financial partners and the right structure are essential to any successful deal.<\/p>\n
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Published May 11, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n The Carney government is quietly moving forward on plans to privatize some of Canada\u2019s biggest airports. Four, possibly five airports are said to be on the list as the government looks to explore possibilities with global financial partners.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The airports up for possible privatization include Toronto Pearson, Trudeau in Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary, along with the possibility of the Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto\u2019s waterfront. So far, it doesn\u2019t appear that Edmonton or Ottawa, the fifth and sixth-busiest airports in Canada, are on the list under consideration.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Sources in Ottawa indicate the government could go to the financial markets with a Request for Information (RFI) within days. Issuing an RFI would set in motion a formal process where the government could gauge interest and find out about the capabilities of potential partners.<\/p>\n Carney is clearly looking to privatize<\/p>\n The government has not said straight up that it is set to privatize these massive pieces of infrastructure, but neither has Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the idea.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will look at options for the airports so that they better serve Canadians, and so that the capital that is tied up in those airports can be redeployed potentially in other ventures that will grow our economy,\u201d Carney said<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The prime minister even said that he is open to the idea of foreign investors buying into Canada\u2019s airports.<\/p>\n Right now, Canada\u2019s major airports sit on land owned by the federal government, but they are operated through independent not-for-profit boards.<\/p>\n Current system is the worst of both worlds<\/p>\n Duncan Dee, a long-time airline executive and former Chief Operating Officer for Air Canada, said he supports plans to privatize the major airports, saying the current system costs too much and makes flying less accessible for consumers.<\/p>\n \u201cI actually argue that we already have a privatized system in Canada. It\u2019s just not called privatized,\u201d Dee said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, we have these airport authorities that already operate as if they were private companies, but we don\u2019t have the same oversight that a full privatization would allow.\u201d<\/p>\n Dee, who recently was part of an executive team that tried to rescue Spirit Airlines, the ultra-low cost carrier in the United States, said in Canada, airlines can\u2019t last due to the fee structures.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cPearson has definitely some of the highest fees and charges, landing fees, rent, counter fees, everything like that in the world,\u201d Dee said.<\/p>\n He pointed to the $2.1-million annual salary of Deborah Flint, the CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson. That\u2019s a huge private-sector-style salary for someone running a not-for-profit, especially compared to the $325,000 earned by Kathryn Garcia as the head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Improved baggage system, new aircraft stands part of Pearson’s $3B facelift<\/p>\n <\/a> KINSELLA: Cocky Carney should ground any airport privatization plans<\/p>\n![\"Pearson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_8609-scaled-e1736534911484.jpg\")
The YYZ sign at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Saturday, March 11, 2023. Toronto SunArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.1.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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