✈️ Business Aviation Movements Decline Across All Three Major Canadian Hubs, Vancouver Leads Drop at 10.8%
Avi-Go data shows that from January 1 to May 15, 2026, combined business aviation movements at Canada's three major hubs — CYYZ Toronto, CYVR Vancouver, and CYUL Montreal — totaled 16,921 movements, down 8.2% from 18,438 movements during the same period in 2025, a net reduction of 1,517 movements. Vancouver recorded the most pronounced decline, falling 10.8% year-over-year (4,421 vs. 4,959 movements), while Toronto dropped 8.3% and Montreal posted a comparatively moderate but still notable decline of 5.1%. This trend stands in sharp contrast to the overall direction of the global business aviation market — during the same period, North American business aviation segments grew 4.7% and global segments grew 3.9%. Aircraft type mix also showed divergence: Vancouver was led by the DHC-6 Twin Otter with 535 movements (12.1% share), displacing the turbofan types that previously dominated; Toronto was led by the CJ3+ with 701 movements (8.6%), indicating a structural shift toward light jets. IATA data shows that average aviation fuel costs in 2026 rose 101.3% year-over-year, and Canadian synthetic crude prices have surged nearly 200% since March 27, 2026, representing the core pressure driving this round of demand contraction.
Impact: The sharp rise in fuel costs is reshaping the demand hierarchy of Canada's business aviation market — high operating cost aircraft types are bearing the brunt, while the relative competitiveness of light jets and turboprops has improved significantly in the near term. For operators with heavy aircraft fleets positioned across the three major hubs, the dual pressures of rising vacancy rates and compressed yields will become concentrated before the 2026 summer peak season.
Recommendation: Operators should complete a review of their fleet scheduling strategy before June 2026, prioritizing an assessment of aircraft type substitution feasibility on Vancouver and Toronto routes, and incorporating light jets or turboprops into short-haul charter pricing structures to maintain competitiveness. At the same time, operators should closely monitor the substitution demand for business travel released following Air Canada's suspension of multiple routes effective June 1, in order to identify potential charter demand windows.