Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport today officially opened its U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility. With Preclearance now in operation, U.S.-bound passengers can complete Customs, Immigration and Agriculture inspections in Canada before takeoff, eliminating the need to clear CBP at their U.S. destination.

Beyond simplifying the journey, Preclearance at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will be a catalyst for regional growth, opening the door for more transborder routes, strengthening tourism and trade, and amplifying the airport’s contribution to the economy. Even before today’s official opening, Preclearance has been foundational to recent airline announcements by Air Canada and Porter Airlines relating to new U.S. routes coming soon to the airport.

“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, Toronto Port Authority, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. “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 travelers; 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,” said Jennifer Quinn, CEO, Nieuport Aviation, the terminal partner at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. “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.”

Today’s opening is the result of strong collaboration among the Government of Canada, which supported the project through a $30 million investment; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. CBP; the Toronto Port Authority; Nieuport Aviation; and a host of partners, each of whom played a vital role in helping to realize the vision of a more connected Toronto, Ontario and Canada.

“Toronto is a major global hub, and strong connectivity is essential to how people move in and out of our city,” said Andrew Weir, CEO, Destination Toronto. “Adding U.S. Customs and Border Protection Preclearance at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport makes travel through the downtown airport even more seamless for American leisure and business travellers, our largest international market, which generated $1.6 billion in visitor spending in 2025. Improved access will help attract more of these visitors, driving economic value for Toronto’s visitor economy and strengthening the city’s competitiveness.”