The majority of Canadians oppose privatizing the country’s airports, according to a Nanos Research Group survey conducted on behalf of Bloomberg News.
The report, published earlier this week, found 53% of respondents opposed privatization, while a further 15% said they were unsure about the plan. Only 10%of those surveyed said they fully supported the idea, while 22.4% said they “somewhat support” a private model.
Transport Minister Steve told Bloomberg that “we need to take a long look at the value of these assets, ask ourselves whether they would do better in another ownership model.”
“Canadians may wish to deploy that capital in other ways that could yield greater benefits for our society,” he said.
The possibility of privatizing Canadian airports has been raised before, but is gaining momentum under Mark Carney’s Liberal Government. The Globe and Mail reports that Ottawa plans to introduce legislation supporting a broader review of national assets, including airports, later this year.
The move was hinted at during the government’s 2025 budget, which indicated Ottawa would explore ways of increasing private investment in Canada’s publicly owned airports. That could include longer lease terms, expanded commercial development on airport lands, and changes to lease formulas, as well as privatization, but no detailed plans have been released.
However, Canadian Unions and competition experts have raised serious concerns about privatization, including the Canadian Labour Congress, which said that "privatization risks higher costs, weaker accountability and puts good union jobs at risk."
