OTTAWA — A new poll suggests a large number of Canadians support the government’s idea of putting private operators in charge of the largest airports — but more than a quarter aren’t sure about it.
The Leger poll finds 43 per cent of Canadians are in favour of having private operators for the Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver airports, while 31 per cent are against the idea.
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Twenty-seven per cent of respondents said they don’t know or are unsure about the proposal.
The poll suggests people in Quebec are most likely to back the concept, while respondents in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are most likely to oppose it.
Leger conducted the poll of 1,533 Canadians between Sept. 19 and 21, but it can’t be given a margin of error because it was conducted online.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the investment summit in Toronto last week that he was courting private investors to take over operations of the country’s four biggest airports.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2026.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press









