A powerful Arctic front sweeping eastward from the Prairies plunged much of Canada into deep-freeze conditions between 2 and 4 January 2026, snarling the first business week of the new year. Data compiled by flight-tracking services show 598 delays and 98 cancellations at major airports, including Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Calgary, Montréal-Trudeau and Halifax. De-icing queues at Pearson stretched beyond 90 minutes, while Vancouver handled 14 cm of wet snow that paralysed taxiways overnight.
The timing could not have been worse for corporate travellers returning from the holidays. Travel-management companies (TMCs) reported that 40 % of clients rescheduled in-person kick-off meetings to virtual formats. Several Fortune 500 firms redirected critical travel through U.S. hubs such as Seattle-Tacoma and Detroit to bypass Canadian weather hotspots.
Amid the chaos, travellers rerouting through the United States or other foreign hubs should double-check entry rules. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) streamlines visa and eTA applications, offers real-time document guidance, and can expedite approvals when itineraries change at the last minute—helping business flyers pivot smoothly despite the storm.
![Arctic Blast Causes More Than 600 Flight Disruptions Across Canada]()
Air carriers enacted mitigation strategies under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations. Air Canada offered meal vouchers and hotel accommodations for impacted itineraries, while WestJet and Porter allowed free re-booking within seven days. Travellers are reminded to retain receipts and screen captures of delay notices to facilitate compensation claims.
Business-contingency planners advise executives to build “weather buffers” into January itineraries going forward, as climate-data models show a 17 % increase in severe winter-storm frequency since 2015. Companies with frequent intra-Canada travel are encouraged to negotiate flexible-fare contracts and maintain standby remote-meeting options.
On the ground, rail freight also felt the squeeze. CN and CP Rail imposed temporary cold-weather speed restrictions, potentially delaying just-in-time shipments for automotive and retail supply chains. Logistics managers should monitor rail ETA updates and consider trans-border trucking alternatives until temperatures normalise later this week.
The timing could not have been worse for corporate travellers returning from the holidays. Travel-management companies (TMCs) reported that 40 % of clients rescheduled in-person kick-off meetings to virtual formats. Several Fortune 500 firms redirected critical travel through U.S. hubs such as Seattle-Tacoma and Detroit to bypass Canadian weather hotspots.
Amid the chaos, travellers rerouting through the United States or other foreign hubs should double-check entry rules. VisaHQ’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) streamlines visa and eTA applications, offers real-time document guidance, and can expedite approvals when itineraries change at the last minute—helping business flyers pivot smoothly despite the storm.
Air carriers enacted mitigation strategies under Canada’s Air Passenger Protection Regulations. Air Canada offered meal vouchers and hotel accommodations for impacted itineraries, while WestJet and Porter allowed free re-booking within seven days. Travellers are reminded to retain receipts and screen captures of delay notices to facilitate compensation claims.
Business-contingency planners advise executives to build “weather buffers” into January itineraries going forward, as climate-data models show a 17 % increase in severe winter-storm frequency since 2015. Companies with frequent intra-Canada travel are encouraged to negotiate flexible-fare contracts and maintain standby remote-meeting options.
On the ground, rail freight also felt the squeeze. CN and CP Rail imposed temporary cold-weather speed restrictions, potentially delaying just-in-time shipments for automotive and retail supply chains. Logistics managers should monitor rail ETA updates and consider trans-border trucking alternatives until temperatures normalise later this week.
