In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the aviation industry and brought an abrupt end to 10 consecutive annual increases in air passenger traffic. The total number of passengers enplaned and deplaned at Canadian airports dropped to 45.9 million in 2020, a decrease of 71.8% from the previous year.
From 2019, traffic decreased significantly at Canada's largest airports. Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International and Montréal/Pierre Elliott Trudeau International both saw decreases of 73.6% in passenger traffic, while traffic was down 71.9% at Vancouver International and 69.2% at Calgary International.