Deborah Flint, President and CEO, Toronto Pearson, Minister Ali, Minister Sarkaria and Mayor Brown are joined by board members, municipal leaders and construction partners for the groundbreaking of Pearson LIFT.
Initial $3-billion investment begins a decade-long transformation, starting with the first phase of a state-of-the-art airfield modernization program to deliver a better, more efficient airport experience for passengers, airlines and trade partners
TORONTO, May 11, 2026 - Today marks a historic moment for Toronto Pearson and for Canada, as the airport launches Pearson LIFT (Long‑term Investment in Facilities and Terminals), one of the largest airport infrastructure programs in Canadian history.
Toronto Pearson marked the start of construction on the first major program under Pearson LIFT with a ceremonial groundbreaking attended by senior government officials, including the Honourable Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board of Canada; the Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation; and His Worship Patrick Brown, Mayor of Brampton, as well as airport partners and construction teams.
Pearson LIFT is a phased, multi-billion-dollar program to modernize and expand the airport, renewing infrastructure, advancing technology‑driven operations, revitalizing and expanding facilities to support Toronto Pearson’s growth for the next decade and beyond.
The initial phase of the first major program of Pearson LIFT includes a $3-billion investment in airside and baggage systems, unlocking space for millions more passengers and delivering a smoother, faster and more reliable journey from curb to gate, including:
- Smarter airfield technology: New airfield lighting control and management system to enhance visibility and guidance designed to support an intelligent network that controls and responds to movement across the runways and taxiways. This state of-the-art system is reflective of Toronto Pearson’s digital ambition and sets a foundation to enable future navigation and guidance systems that make smoother and more efficient aircraft movements on the ground.
- Greener airport operations: Expanded electric vehicle charging, cleaner heating systems and energy network upgrades to support lower-emission operations as the airport grows.
- More reliable baggage: Investments across approximately 30 kilometres of baggage infrastructure including new baggage carousels in Terminal 1, as well as new cameras and sensors for early issue detection for better visibility and clearing jams to minimize down time.
- More space for growing operations: An expanded and renewed 2.2‑million square metre airfield - equivalent to more than 1,000 NHL‑size hockey rinks - including new aircraft stands and a high‑speed taxiway to improve movement between gates and runways, supporting up to 28,000 additional passengers per day.
This work lays the foundation for Toronto Pearson to be future‑ready, resilient, digitally enabled and built to deliver exceptional passenger experiences.
“Today marks a pivotal moment, the culmination of three years of planning, analysis, competitive procurement and collaboration with industry partners and air carriers to deliver a state‑of‑the‑art airfield that will make Toronto Pearson one of the most efficient and digitally-advanced airports in the industry,” said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson. “This is an investment that increases capacity for global trade with Canada. Passengers can be more confident in their journeys through North America’s 2nd most internationally-connected airport.”
Enabled by Pearson LIFT, Toronto Pearson can grow to serve 65 million passengers a year, creating 16,000 new jobs at the airport, supporting more than 160,000 jobs nationwide, contributing $30 billion to the economy and generating more than $10-billion annually in spending with Canadian suppliers, based on independent analysis.
Today’s announcement is just the beginning. This year, Toronto Pearson will continue to unveil additional investments and details, including plans for revitalizing and expanding facilities to accommodate long-term demand.
Economic impact estimates are based on analysis conducted by Oxford Economics.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including passenger and spending projections. This forward-looking information is based on a variety of assumptions and is subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking information reflects GTAA Management’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to GTAA Management. There is significant risk that predictions, forecasts, conclusions, and projections that constitute forward-looking information will not prove to be accurate, that the GTAA’s assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may vary from such forward-looking information. Additional detailed information about these assumptions, risks and uncertainties is included in the GTAA’s securities regulatory filings, including its most recent Annual Information Form and Management’s Discussion and Analysis, which can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.
About Toronto Pearson
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses, and goods.
Toronto Pearson has been recognized as one of the best airports in North America eight times in the last nine years by Airports Council International, the global trade representative of the world’s airports. Toronto Pearson continues to be recognized as a top workplace, earning a spot on Forbes’ “Canada’s Best Employers” for the past three years.
For operational updates and passenger information, please visit @TorontoPearson/@AeroportPearson on X. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
Toronto Pearson Media Office | media.relations@gtaa.com