SKEENA REGION, B.C. – A series of bomb threats targeting Canada’s air navigation service provider temporarily halted ground operations at six major Canadian airports on Thursday morning, including Vancouver International Airport (YVR), the primary hub for travellers from the Skeena region.
NAV Canada, the agency that operates the country’s civil air navigation system, confirmed it received threats early on July 3 for its facilities in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, and Ottawa.
As a safety precaution, a “ground stop” was immediately put in place, preventing planes from departing at the affected airports.
For travellers from Northwest B.C., the ground stop at YVR resulted in some minor to moderate delays on morning flights, but no widespread cancellations on routes to or from the Terrace-Kitimat airport were reported.
In a statement, NAV Canada said it worked closely with law enforcement to conduct a thorough threat assessment.
“All employees are safe,” the agency confirmed. “We are collaborating with authorities to address the situation and ensure the safety of all personnel and passengers.”
Service was gradually resumed at all affected airports later in the morning after the threat was cleared. However, travellers across the country were advised to check directly with their airlines for any lingering delays throughout the day.
