Canada | July 3, 2025 - Several major Canadian airports experienced disruptions this morning after a series of bomb threats were issued against air traffic control towers operated by NAV CANADA. Airports in Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg were affected, prompting temporary evacuations and flight delays while authorities conducted emergency sweeps.
NAV CANADA confirmed in a statement that the threats led to the evacuation of personnel and the implementation of ground stops at multiple facilities. “We activated safety protocols out of an abundance of caution, and all affected employees were safely evacuated,” the agency said.
Operations Halted, Then Resumed
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a brief departure ground stop for flights leaving Ottawa and Montreal, which was lifted by mid-morning. Flights in Ottawa were delayed by an average of 65 minutes, according to FlightAware, a global flight tracking platform.
In Vancouver, the control tower at YVR Airport was evacuated early in the morning following a bomb threat call received by Richmond RCMP. A police sweep, including a K9 unit, found no explosive devices. The airport remained operational with minor delays.
Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg also received threats but reported minimal disruptions. Authorities confirmed there were no credible devices found at any location.
Local police services, in cooperation with the RCMP and Transport Canada, are investigating the source of the threats. Authorities have not disclosed whether the incidents appear coordinated or whether a suspect has been identified.
Transport Canada issued a statement Thursday afternoon emphasizing that “the safety of passengers, airport workers, and the public remains our highest priority. All necessary security measures were taken, and normal operations have resumed.”
As of 1:00 p.m. ET, all six airports had returned to regular operations, though some residual delays continued as airlines worked to normalize schedules.
Travellers are being advised to:
Check their flight status with airlines before arriving at airports
Allow additional time for airport security checks
Follow official advisories from Transport Canada and local airport authorities
Authorities have stressed that no bombs or hazardous materials were located at any of the affected sites. While the threats were taken seriously, officials now believe them to have been false alarms.
This morning’s events mark one of the most widespread aviation threat incidents in recent Canadian history, raising renewed concerns about airport security and hoax threats. In recent years, similar incidents have disrupted flights in the U.S. and Europe, often traced back to pranksters or cyber-related mischief.
NAV CANADA said it is cooperating fully with investigators and will be reviewing internal procedures in light of the events.