Flights delayed at Toronto's Pearson airport after tower evacuated due to reports of smoke

CBC News

· Posted: Oct 20, 2026 10:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: 20 minutes ago

Flights to and from Toronto's Pearson airport are facing delays Tuesday night after reports of smoke prompted the evacuation of a tower that manages the flow of aircraft traffic at gates and loading zones, the airport says.

In a post on the social media platform X, Toronto Pearson said its "apron management unit tower" was evacuated.

"Staff have since returned and resumed operations, but an air traffic management initiative is in effect resulting in delays to arriving and departing flights," Toronto Pearson said in the post.

The airport urged passengers to check their flight status directly with their airlines.

On its website, the airport says the unit manages the "safe and expeditious" flow of aircraft traffic on the airport's apron.

Gabriel Bourget, spokesperson for NAV Canada, said in an email on Tuesday night that its air traffic control tower at Pearson was not evacuated and continues to operate normally. Bourget said communications between pilots and NAV Canada air traffic controllers were not affected.

The apron management unit is operated by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Bourget said. NAV Canada's air traffic controllers manage the safe movement of aircraft in the air and on runways and taxiways, while the GTAA manages the areas around the terminal buildings and gates.

In a notice to passengers on flights affected by the delays, Air Canada described the situation as a "safety incident" involving the GTAA and its apron management unit.

"The situation is impacting multiple flights and is outside of Air Canada’s control," Air Canada said in the notice.

"Our teams are actively working to mitigate the impact and minimize delays wherever possible. We recognize the impact delays can have on your travel plans and sincerely apologize for the disruption."