Why Atlantic Canada’s fragile aviation network is a lifeline, not a luxury
October 1, 2025
In the vast, sparsely populated landscape of Atlantic Canada, air connectivity isn’t just a convenience, it’s a lifeline for some of the nation’s remote communities.
Nadia MacDonald, executive director of the Atlantic Canada Airports Association, is leading a mission to rebuild the region’s fragile aviation network in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Atlantic Canada Airports Association is a non-profit industry association representing all airports in the region that have been transferred to local control from the federal government. Together, the ACAA’s 14 member airports handle 99 percent of passenger traffic, including all international and transborder passengers, and all cargo traffic into and out of the region.
Building back after Covid
“We were one of the slowest regions to recover in Canada,” MacDonald explained from Routes World 2025 in Hong Kong.
“We’re currently about 55% recovered from pre-COVID inter-regional connectivity, which is one of the lowest in the country.”
This stark statistic masks a complex challenge facing Atlantic Canada’s 14 commercial airports. The region, spanning four provinces, has been struggling to restore air routes that were decimated during the pandemic. But a collaborative effort is changing the narrative.
A recent announcement by the Council of Atlantic Premiers is cause for hope that air connectivity will be restored. The initiative aims to reconnect smaller regional airports, creating a network that feeds into larger transportation hubs like Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
“We’ve been working with federal partners, provincial partners, airlines, and airports to create a programme to help bring back and build back regional connectivity,” MacDonald said.
The economic implications are significant. MacDonald highlights that Atlantic Canada has $18.3 billion in spending on this expected in 2025. “Connectivity is crucial for economic growth,” she emphasised.
Making the case for regional connectivity
The challenges are formidable. Post-pandemic, airlines are returning with larger aircraft, and prioritising profitable routes. Smaller regional airports often find themselves at the bottom of list for resumption of services. And when airlines are facing lengthy delays to aircraft orders, there is no slack in the system to enable growth to destinations that are not guaranteed money earners.
Some airports have recovered as little as 40-50% of their pre-pandemic capacity, while larger airports like Halifax and St. John’s hover around 85-100% recovery.
“Airlines are businesses,” MacDonald said. “When they return, they’ll start with larger planes on the most profitable routes. The challenge for regional airports is they’re sometimes looked at second.”
The current initiative is a pilot programme, with hopes of expanding to include more airports. It’s an important first step in ensuring that every community in Atlantic Canada has accessible air travel.
But the significance of regional air travel in north east Canada goes beyond just getting people from A to B.
Connecting a country as vast as Canada
“Canada has the same population as California, but our country is 25 times larger,” MacDonald noted.
“Some of these areas are very remote, and those people deserve access to medical services, food supplies, and the ability to travel when they need to.”
The programme isn’t just about moving people, it’s about moving goods critical to the region’s economy. Seafood exports, emerging wind energy projects, and shipbuilding industries all depend on efficient transportation networks.
For MacDonald, it’s about more than statistics. “At the end of the day, it’s about continuing to move people, continue to be connected, and continue to help grow our economy,” she said. “Aviation is the backbone of our country and drives economic growth.”
The collaborative approach, bringing together federal agencies like the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, provincial governments, airlines, and airport authorities, represents a unique model of regional cooperation.
As Atlantic Canada rebuilds its aviation infrastructure, the stakes are high. A recent study by the Canadian Airports Council highlighted the economic benefits of regional flights: a single route can generate more than 125 full-time jobs and more than $40 million in annual economic output.
In Atlantic Canada, where geography can be a barrier, the return on investment is even more compelling.
“Every Canadian, every Atlantic Canadian, deserves accessible access,” MacDonald said. And with this ambitious connectivity project, the region is taking bold steps to ensure just that.
