Air Canada unveils new $16M cargo facility at Mississauga’s Pearson Airport

A revamped, one-of-a-kind Air Canada cargo facility at Pearson Airport in Mississauga will allow the country’s flagship carrier to dramatically increase its shipments of food and pharmaceuticals to destinations around the world.

Airline officials said this week that a $16-million plan to expand and enhance Air Canada Cargo’s cold chain handling capabilities for shipments such as pharmaceuticals, fresh food and other perishables has been completed.

The new cold chain handling facility features more than 30,000 sq. ft. of temperature-controlled areas and an expanded cooler to fully meet the requirements of cold chain shipments, Air Canada says.

Officials add these enhancements are the first step in a multi-year investment plan for the facility and are part of several planned infrastructure investment projects for Air Canada Cargo.

“This is an exciting day for Air Canada Cargo as we take another step forward in our evolution. The enhanced temperature-controlled facility is the only one of its kind for a Canadian airline and positions Air Canada Cargo to continue successfully growing our business, including the launch of our dedicated freighter aircraft,” said Air Canada vice-president, cargo, Jason Berry. “This investment, and the others that are to follow, will allow us to better serve our customers and I am very excited for what the future holds for Air Canada Cargo.”

To contribute to Air Canada’s long-term net zero emissions goal, airline officials say the renovations, announced late in 2021, include the installation of energy efficient equipment such as temperature controllers that will constantly monitor the conditions inside the facility and only regulate the temperature as needed.

We have inaugurated our enhanced cold chain handling facility at Air Canada Cargo’s hub at @TorontoPearson, a significant investment in the capabilities for shipments such as pharmaceuticals, fresh food & other perishables.

More: https://t.co/fz6iu82bp4 pic.twitter.com/xzZMIohjI8

— Air Canada (@AirCanada) March 16, 2022

As well, rapid roll-up doors have been installed to minimize the energy loss when the cooler is accessed to store or retrieve goods, the airline says.

Furthermore, LED lighting has been installed throughout the facility, further reducing energy consumption.

Air Canada Cargo, with its fleet of Boeing 767-300ER freighter aircraft, is the country’s largest air cargo provider as measured by cargo capacity, the carrier notes. It has a presence in more than 50 countries and runs international hubs in Chicago, London and Frankfurt in addition to its hubs on Canadian soil in Mississauga, Montreal and Vancouver. 

Air Canada has a long history of transporting goods around the world via freighter aircraft that dates back to 1937. And the air cargo business played a key role in keeping revenue flowing for Pearson Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The completed Air Canada renovation is the largest cargo project the carrier has undertaken at Pearson since 1965, when it doubled the size of its cargo hub here to accommodate its acquisition of new freighters.  

At the time, Air Canada had just taken on its new name, having rebranded from Trans-Canada Air Lines as it had been known since its inception in 1937.