Summary:
- Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport launches a new U.S. Preclearance facility enabling passengers to complete border inspections before departure.
- The initiative, delivered in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Toronto Port Authority, simplifies the travel experience for U.S.-bound passengers.
- Preclearance is expected to unlock new transborder routes while supporting tourism, trade and regional economic growth.
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has opened a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility, marking a new era of convenience and connectivity for travellers flying to the United States from Toronto’s downtown airport. With Preclearance now in operation, U.S.-bound passengers can complete Customs, Immigration and Agriculture inspections in Canada before take-off, eliminating the need to clear CBP at their U.S. destination.
Beyond simplifying the journey, Preclearance at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will be a catalyst for regional growth, opening the door for more transborder routes, strengthening tourism and trade, and amplifying the airport’s contribution to the economy.
“Today marks a defining milestone for Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and for the passengers and markets we proudly serve,” said RJ Steenstra, President and CEO, Toronto Port Authority, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. “For nearly 90 years, this airport has linked Toronto and the region to tourism, trade and business, earning recognition as one of North America’s best airports. With the opening of the U.S. Preclearance facility, we will further enhance convenience, strengthen security and create new opportunities for connection. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is more than a gateway for travellers; it is an engine of economic growth, driving jobs, investment and the connectivity that keeps communities and businesses thriving. The introduction of U.S. Preclearance further fuels this engine and entrenches the value of this airport to the region and Canada overall.”
The opening is the result of strong collaboration among the Government of Canada, which supported the project through a $30 million investment; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. CBP; the Toronto Port Authority; Nieuport Aviation; and a host of partners, each of which played a vital role in helping to realise the vision of a more connected Toronto, Ontario and Canada.
“The new U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance facility at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is a transformational project that has been over a decade in the making,” said Jennifer Quinn, CEO, Nieuport Aviation, the terminal partner at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. “Preclearance may sound like a process upgrade, but it is far more than that – it’s an investment in the region’s future. By clearing U.S. Customs in Canada, we’re making travel to the U.S. more convenient, unlocking new routes, facilitating more connections to and from Toronto and growing the economy through visitor spend and job creation. This milestone reflects the power of partnership and the confidence we have in the incredible potential of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to connect people to opportunity and to catalyse growth.”
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