Carney wants private investors to run Canada’s four largest airports

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he wants to see private investors operate Canada’s four largest airports — Toronto Pearson, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

In a keynote address at the investment summit in Toronto today, the prime minister says the federal government would retain ownership of the land and assets.

He says the goal is to shift federal spending on major airports’ operating costs toward smaller regional airports and other local infrastructure projects.

The prime minister says that putting more money into smaller airports should lead to more affordable regional and remote air travel.

The overall goal of the investment summit is to attract $1 trillion in new investment in the Canadian economy over the next five years.

Carney told investors at the summit that Canada is positioning itself as a “safe harbour” for investment on a chaotic global stage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2026. 

By The Canadian Press Staff | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.