OTTAWA – NDP Leader Avi Lewis says it’s “disingenuous” of the government to refer to its plan to allow private investors to bid on operational stakes in Canada’s four largest airports as anything but privatization.
Flanked by his caucus and labour leaders outside the House of Commons earlier today, Lewis said private operations will likely mean higher traveller fees at airports in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.
He said the government’s plan is clearly privatization because it is turning a public asset over to investor control for decades.
The government maintains it will still own the land and airports would still be subject to the same safety regulations.
Ottawa has also said money brought into federal coffers from any contracts with investors could be reinvested in smaller regional airports to lower fees at those locations.
NDP transport critic Heather McPherson says the government already makes $525 million annually from airports and could put that money back into regional hubs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2026.
