Local leaders recently joined officials from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) to celebrate the opening of a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance facility. The project — a collaboration between the government of Canada; U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. CBP; the Toronto Port Authority; Nieuport Aviation; and a host of partners — allows U.S.-bound passengers to complete customs, immigration and agriculture inspections in Canada and bypass CBP at their U.S. destination.
“Today marks a defining milestone for Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and for the passengers and markets we proudly serve,” said RJ Steenstra, president and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. “For nearly 90 years, this airport has linked Toronto and the region to tourism, trade and business, earning recognition as one of North America’s best airports. With the opening of the U.S. Preclearance facility, we will further enhance convenience, strengthen security and create new opportunities for connection. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is more than a gateway for travellers; it is an engine of economic growth, driving jobs, investment and the connectivity that keeps communities and businesses thriving. The introduction of U.S. Preclearance further fuels this engine and entrenches the value of this airport to the region and Canada overall.”
“The new U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance facility at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is a transformational project that has been over a decade in the making,” added Jennifer Quinn, CEO of YTZ terminal partner Nieuport Aviation. “Preclearance may sound like a process upgrade, but it is far more than that—it’s an investment in the region’s future. By clearing U.S. Customs in Canada, we’re making travel to the U.S. more convenient, unlocking new routes, facilitating more connections to and from Toronto and growing the economy through visitor spend and job creation. This milestone reflects the power of partnership and the confidence we have in the incredible potential of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to connect people to opportunity and to catalyze growth.”
