Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is Canada’s largest and busiest airport. It handles millions of passengers every year and accounts for close to 30% of all air passengers in Canada. The airport currently connects Toronto with roughly 200 domestic and international destinations.

In 2025, it handled around 47.3 million passengers. That figure is expected to keep growing in the coming years. According to Toronto Pearson, demand could reach more than 60 million passengers by the early 2030s. The airport has therefore been investing heavily in its infrastructure to prepare for this growth.

Toronto Pearson has secured billions of dollars through a decade-long infrastructure program under its Pearson LIFT (Long-term Investment in Facilities and Terminals) initiative. The program covers several major projects across the airport. Two of those projects are now moving forward simultaneously. Notably, Toronto Pearson is carrying out this work while continuing to handle millions of passengers every year, rather than shutting down operations for construction.

Toronto Pearson LIFT: A Decade-Long Infrastructure Investment

Credit: Toronto Pearson Airport

Toronto Pearson introduced its Pearson LIFT program in April 2024 as a multi-billion-dollar investment plan that would span more than a decade. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates the airport, started the first phase of procurement for the program at an industry forum that month.

At the time, Deborah Flint, President and CEO of the GTAA, said that “this is the very beginning of what will be a decade-long investment in our facilities and our terminals across the airport.” The program was created to address several pressures at the airport at the same time. Toronto Pearson has seen sustained growth in passenger numbers in recent years, and the airport expects passenger demand to reach roughly 65 million passengers per year by the early 2030s.

For years, the GTAA had been meeting that demand by “deploying substantial resources” to maintain and upgrade “aged assets and facilities.” However, existing infrastructure could not be stretched indefinitely as passenger numbers continued to rise. The GTAA therefore identified the need for a longer-term approach to infrastructure investment.

The airport said it needed “more sustainable solutions and infrastructure built for the digital age” and would have to “expand and upgrade our infrastructure to meet both current and future needs.” Notably, the Pearson LIFT program builds on the airport’s 2017–2037 Master Plan. That plan had already anticipated strong passenger growth and the need for major investment in airport facilities and infrastructure.

Toronto Pearson Has Started Work On Its C$3 Billion Accelerator Program

Credit: Toronto Pearson Airport

Indeed, Pearson LIFT is one of the largest airport infrastructure programs in Canadian history. The multi-billion-dollar program is divided into three major projects: Accelerator, T1/T3 Revitalization and Gateway. These projects cover different areas of Toronto Pearson’s infrastructure, from upgrades to existing operational systems and passenger terminals to the development of new terminal capacity.

The first of the three is currently under construction. In May 2026, Toronto Pearson started work on Accelerator, a $2.2 billion (C$3 billion) program focused on the airport’s airside and baggage infrastructure. A major part of the work involves the renewal and expansion of about 2.2 million square meters of the airfield.

This includes new aircraft stands and a high-speed taxiway that will improve the movement of aircraft between gates and runways. The expanded airfield is expected to support up to 28,000 additional passengers per day. Pearson is also upgrading the technology used across the airfield. The airport is installing a new lighting control and management system and around 20,000 smart LED airfield lights.

Additionally, the baggage system is receiving a major overhaul. Under the Accelerator project, the airport is upgrading approximately 30 kilometers of baggage infrastructure and adding new baggage carousels in Terminal 1. It is also installing cameras and sensors that can identify problems earlier and help staff locate and clear baggage jams before they cause longer disruptions.

Apart from these developments, Pearson is making several other changes under the program. These include upgrading its energy network and expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support lower-emission operations.

Toronto Pearson Recently Awarded C$1.5 Billion Terminal Revitalization Program

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The second major project under Pearson LIFT is the T1/T3 Revitalization Program, which is now on the horizon. On July 21, 2026, Toronto Pearson awarded design and construction contracts to NORR-DIALOG and PCL Construction for the around $1.08 billion (C$1.5 billion) program. The project will focus on modernizing infrastructure across Terminals 1 and 3, improving passenger facilities, and making airport operations more efficient.

The program includes expanded terminal spaces, modernized check-in areas, and upgraded baggage processing systems. The airport will also improve security screening and make changes to gates, lounges, and customs facilities. Other upgrades include expanded charging stations within the terminals and improvements to passenger processing areas. The work will modernize aging infrastructure and make it easier for passengers to move through the airport.

Notably, the construction will be delivered in stages rather than taking large parts of the terminals out of service at once. This will allow Pearson to continue operating throughout the project and minimize disruptions for passengers and airlines. The airport has not yet given a firm date for the start of construction, though it said that over the next few months, it will work with its partners to advance the design and development of the project.

Toronto Pearson’s Gateway Program Will Add New Terminal Capacity

Credit: Toronto Pearson Airport

Furthermore, the third major project under Pearson LIFT is the Gateway program, which is the main expansion project under the initiative and will add net new terminal space at Toronto Pearson. The new facilities will be designed to accommodate an additional 15 million passengers annually.

One of the objectives of the project is to make changes to the airport’s apron to make better use of the space available. Under the project, the airport will increase the number of Multiple Aircraft Ramp System gates, which can give it more flexibility in how it handles aircraft at the terminal. Additionally, the project will optimize aircraft flow and parking to improve the efficiency of ground operations.

The expansion is intended to improve the passenger experience as well. Pearson plans to improve connections between gates and reduce the time required for passengers transferring between flights. The new facilities will also provide additional commercial space and create more flexibility across passenger, baggage and aircraft operations.

Gateway is currently in the procurement phase. Toronto Pearson had initially projected that construction would begin in 2026, although the airport has yet to confirm a firm construction start date. The timeline now appears less certain, particularly as the Accelerator program only entered construction in 2026 after its own start date was moved from the previous year.

Toronto Pearson Prepares For 65 Million Passengers By The Early 2030s

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Together, the three projects under Pearson LIFT are intended to give Toronto Pearson the capacity it needs as passenger numbers continue to rise. The airport expects demand to reach around 65 million passengers annually by the early 2030s, which will put further pressure on its existing terminals and infrastructure.

Toronto Pearson currently operates two passenger terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, which are now 20 to 30 years old. Terminal 2 was demolished in 2007, and its former site has since been used for the expansion of Terminal 1. Both terminals handle domestic, international, and transborder traffic and are reaching their capacity, so the airport needs to keep its existing facilities operating as passenger volumes increase.

Passenger growth continued in 2026. Toronto Pearson handled 12.4 million passengers between April and June, a 3.3% increase from the same period in 2025. Passenger traffic reached 23.5 million for the first half of the year, up 3.5% from the same period last year. The airport has also been dealing with growing demand from airlines, including Air Canada, which has announced further expansion for summer 2027.

Toronto Pearson Is Expanding Without Shutting Down Operations

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Overall, the GTAA has repeatedly highlighted the need to upgrade existing facilities and add capacity as demand increases. LIFT is intended to address both sides of that problem. Accelerator is upgrading the infrastructure that supports the airport today, T1/T3 Revitalization will renew its existing terminals, and Gateway will add new terminal capacity for the longer term.

The LIFT program is also expected to have an impact beyond the airport itself. The GTAA projects that the program will create around 16,000 new jobs at Pearson, support 160,000 jobs across Canada, and contribute approximately C$30 billion annually to the Canadian economy.

The scale of the program makes it one of the largest airport infrastructure investments in Canada. What is notable is that Pearson is carrying out this work as the airport continues to operate. The construction is being delivered in stages so that the airport can continue operating safely and minimize disruption for passengers and airline partners.