For decades, the unofficial sound of summer in Canada has been the thunderous roar of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds streaking through the skies in perfect formation — but the iconic aerobatic team may soon be flying the coop.
The Snowbirds could be headed for a lengthy pause starting in 2027, according to concerns raised by Conservative MP Fraser Tolmie, whose Saskatchewan riding includes the team’s home base in Moose Jaw.
The Snowbirds are a staple of Toronto’s annual CNE air show, and regularly perform at major air shows and national celebrations in cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Halifax, meaning a potential cancellation would see the team disappear from skies across the whole country.
At a media scrum at Parliament Hill on May 7, Tolmie shared that Air Show organizers across North America are “quietly being told” that the snowbirds will no longer be flying next year and claims the federal government is preparing to suspend the program for up to five years.
“This is completely unacceptable at a time when we’re being challenged with regards to our identity and nationhood that we’re going to ground an iconic symbol that represents unity and truly represents the Canadian spirit,” Tolmie said.
The uncertainty boils down to the Snowbirds’ aging fleet of CT-114 Tutor jets, which first entered service in the early 1960s and have been flying with the national aerobatic team since 1971. The aircraft have faced growing safety and maintenance concerns in recent years, including questions around aging parts and outdated systems.
In 2021, the federal government spent roughly $30 million on upgrades meant to keep the Tutor jets flying safely through 2030, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
James Bezan, Conservative Shadow Minister for National Defence, also weighed in, stating the Snowbirds are a vital symbol of Canadian identity and should not be grounded.
“We are going to be here on Parliament Hill in 2027 if we don’t have Snowbirds flying over the Peace Tower,” he told media, in a clip he also shared on X.
For more than 50 years, the Snowbirds have been one of the biggest draws of the Canadian International Air Show during the CNE — even if the window-rattling jet sounds sparks plenty of noise complaints from pet owners every year — with thousands flocking to the waterfront every Labour Day weekend to watch the team’s signature red-and-white planes pull off gravity-defying stunts.
But their wings may not be clipped just yet. As CTV News first reported, Defence Minister David McGuinty is expected to provide an update on the CF Snowbirds’ future on May 19 when he visits Moose Jaw.