Transit alert: UP Express trains will not run from late evening July 11 through July 13. GO buses will operate between the airport and Union Station. More information on the Metrolinx website.

Economic impact

Economic Impact

Toronto Pearson helps the economy soar. Pearson links Canada to 70% of the world’s economies, enabling Canadian businesses to reach global markets and stimulating tourism, trade, job creation and growth.

With around 30% of the country’s air passengers and 45% of its cargo passing through Pearson each year, the airport is a major economic engine that raises productivity and supports thousands of jobs across Canada.

Pearson is one of Toronto region’s largest employers

  • The airport and its 400+ tenants employ 52,000 people – an increase of 3,000 since 2016.
  • Airport employees earn 4.3% more than the Ontario average.
  • Career paths at Pearson include specialized roles, such as aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, and aerospace engineering. We’re also a gateway to employment for thousands of entry-level workers. Discover more about careers at Pearson.

Pearson drives economic growth

  • The airport’s activities generate $20 billion in GDP annually.
  • Tenant organizations spent $6.7 billion on goods and services, with 70% of that staying in the GTA.
  • Visitors entering Canada through Pearson added $2.6 billion to Ontario's GDP and $1.8 billion to the rest of Canada, supporting over 38,000 jobs in Ontario.

Our impact reaches across Canada

  • The airport’s supply chains and activities support 130,000 jobs across the country.
  • For every $1 in GDP directly generated at the airport, $1.40 of additional activity is supported elsewhere in Canada.
  • Pearson's economic activities generate $7.5 billion in annual taxes – enough to pay for 134,000 public school teachers.

Pearson also anchors Canada’s largest industrial employment area, where half a million people work in manufacturing, transportation and innovation. Find out more about the Pearson Economic Zone at www.economicrunway.ca.

 

Source: Oxford Economics. Data from 2023.