Freezing Rain Triggers 377 Flight Disruptions Across Canada — Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver Hit Hardest

Quick Summary

A freezing rain storm across Ontario and Quebec has triggered 377 flight disruptions at Canadian airports

53 flights cancelled and 324 delayed — Toronto Pearson alone accounts for 138 delays and 21 cancellations

Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, WestJet, Jazz Aviation, and Air Inuit are among the worst affected carriers

Passengers are advised to check flight status online, arrive early, and contact their airline immediately about rebooking

Canada's aviation network is in crisis today as a powerful freezing rain storm sweeping through Ontario and Quebec grounds dozens of flights and pushes thousands of passengers into a state of travel limbo. Air Canada, WestJet, Jazz Aviation, Air Inuit, and Air Canada Rouge have collectively recorded 53 flight cancellations and 324 delays across the country, with the total disruption count reaching 377 — making this one of the most severe single-day flight disruption events in recent Canadian aviation history.

The hardest-hit airports include Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), Vancouver International (YVR), and Calgary International (YYC), though the fallout extends to remote regional airports serving northern Quebec communities including Umiujaq, Kangirsuk, and Kuujjuaq.

Airport-by-Airport Breakdown: Where the Chaos Is Worst

Toronto Pearson is bearing the greatest burden of today's disruptions. As Canada's busiest airport and a critical North American hub, a gridlock at Pearson creates a cascading domino effect across the entire country — stranded passengers on connecting routes multiply quickly.

Airport	Delays	Cancellations
Toronto Pearson International (YYZ)	138	21
Vancouver International (YVR)	69	11
Montréal-Trudeau International (YUL)	60	6
Calgary International (YYC)	33	5
Edmonton International (YEG)	5	6
Kuujjuaq (YVP)	11	1
Kangirsuk (YKG)	6	1
Umiujaq (YUD)	2	2

Source: FlightAware

Notably, the disruptions are not confined to southern Canada's major urban centres. Remote Arctic Quebec airports Umiujaq, Kangirsuk, and Kuujjuaq — served predominantly by Air Inuit — are also registering cancellations and delays, cutting off communities that depend on air travel for essential connectivity.

Which Airlines Are Affected — and How Badly?

Every major carrier operating domestic and international Canadian routes is feeling the impact. Air Canada leads in total delays, but Air Canada Rouge carries a disproportionate cancellation rate relative to its schedule size, with 10 cancellations representing an 8% cancellation rate — the highest of any carrier today.

Airline	Cancellations	Cancellation Rate	Delays	Delay Rate
Air Canada	9	1%	74	12%
Air Canada Rouge	10	8%	14	12%
Jazz Aviation (ACA)	9	2%	53	12%
Air Inuit	4	4%	31	31%
WestJet	2	0%	52	11%

Source: FlightAware

Air Inuit's situation is particularly striking — with 31% of its flights delayed, the regional carrier serving Quebec's remote northern communities is facing its most operationally challenged day of the season. For passengers connecting to communities without road access, these delays are not an inconvenience: they are a significant logistical emergency.

What Is Causing the Disruptions?

A freezing rain storm moving through Ontario and Quebec is the root cause of today's aviation crisis. Freezing rain is one of the most operationally disruptive weather phenomena for airports: unlike snow, which can be plowed, or heavy rain, which typically passes, freezing rain coats runways, taxiways, aircraft surfaces, and ground equipment in a layer of ice that requires intensive and time-consuming de-icing procedures.

Aircraft cannot safely depart until fully de-iced — a process that can take 20–45 minutes per aircraft, compounding across an entire airport schedule into hours of cascading delays. When delays at a hub like Pearson accumulate, connecting passengers miss onwards flights, inbound aircraft arrive late, and the ripple spreads coast to coast.

What Affected Passengers Should Do Right Now

If you are booked on a flight through any affected Canadian airport today, take these steps immediately:

Check your flight status before leaving for the airport — use your airline's app or the airport's live status board. Do not assume your flight is operating on schedule.
Call or message your airline directly — Air Canada, WestJet, and Jazz all have rebooking options available for affected passengers. Many will allow free rebooking or refunds for significantly delayed or cancelled flights.
Arrive early if you must travel — security and check-in queues are running longer than usual across all affected airports due to passenger congestion from earlier disrupted flights.
Explore alternate routing — passengers traveling within Canada may be able to rebook through unaffected hubs. If your origin or destination has a nearby alternative airport, check whether routing through Ottawa, Halifax, or Winnipeg might clear the gridlock.
Know your rights under Canadian law — the Canadian Transportation Agency requires airlines to provide certain remedies for disruptions caused by factors within the airline's control. Weather-related cancellations may have different compensation rules, but airlines are still obligated to rebook passengers or provide refunds where applicable. Meal vouchers and hotel accommodation may be available for significantly delayed flights — ask your airline directly.

What This Means for Travelers Connecting to International Routes

Toronto Pearson and Montreal-Trudeau both serve as major transatlantic and transpacific gateways. A disruption of this scale at these two airports is likely to create knock-on delays for inbound and outbound flights to London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, and a range of U.S. domestic destinations. Passengers with same-day international connections through Pearson or Trudeau should contact their airline now to assess their connection viability.

Vancouver International, though not directly in the storm's path, is registering 69 delays and 11 cancellations — likely a downstream effect of disrupted aircraft positioning and crew scheduling caused by the eastern Canada storm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many flights have been cancelled in Canada today?

A total of 53 flights have been cancelled across Canada, with an additional 324 flights delayed — totalling 377 disruptions. Toronto Pearson accounts for the largest share, with 21 cancellations and 138 delays.

Which airlines are cancelling flights in Canada today?

Air Canada (9 cancellations), Air Canada Rouge (10 cancellations), Jazz Aviation (9 cancellations), Air Inuit (4 cancellations), and WestJet (2 cancellations) are the carriers most affected by today's disruptions.

Am I entitled to compensation if my Canadian flight is cancelled due to weather?

Weather-related cancellations are generally classified as outside the airline's control, which limits mandatory compensation requirements under Canadian law. However, airlines are still required to rebook you on the next available flight or offer a refund. For delays within the airline's control, Canadian Transportation Agency rules may entitle you to meals, accommodation, or financial compensation depending on delay length and flight size.

Which Canadian airports have the worst delays right now?

Toronto Pearson (138 delays), Vancouver International (69 delays), and Montréal-Trudeau (60 delays) are the three most severely affected airports. Calgary follows with 33 delays.

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Disclaimer: Flight status data reflects information available as of 10 March 2026 via FlightAware. Conditions are evolving — verify your specific flight status directly with your airline before traveling to the airport.