Leading indicator of international arrivals to Canada, September 2021
Released: 2021-10-12
Highlights
September saw the number of international arrivals to Canada increase from the same month last year, but remain well below the pre-pandemic levels of September 2019.
There were over 11 times as many non-resident travellers arriving from abroad in Canadian airports equipped with electronic kiosks during September 2021 compared with September 2020.
Meanwhile, the number of Canadian residents returning from abroad via the same airports was roughly six-and-a-half times greater than September 2020.
US residents made 328,200 trips to Canada through land ports with electronic sensors in September 2021—over 260,000 more than in September 2020.
Likewise, there were over 50,000 more Canadians who returned from the United States (202,400) through the same land ports this September than in September 2020.
This release provides a first glimpse into international arrivals to Canada in September 2021. Complete counts will be available with September's "Travel between Canada and other countries" release on November 22, 2021.
Canada continues to ease restrictions
As provincial governments continue to ease restrictions, the federal government has started opening Canada's borders to all fully vaccinated international travellers. As was announced on July 19, Canada began allowing entry to fully vaccinated foreign nationals for discretionary reasons (primarily non-essential travel) on September 7, 2021.
Non-resident arrivals by air
Arrivals of non-residents—overseas countries (138,200) and the United States (105,300)—at Canadian airports equipped with Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIKs) numbered 243,500 in September, up from 21,500 in September 2020. Despite this increase, it is less than one-third (29.0%) of the 838,700 such arrivals during the same month in 2019.
In the first six days of September, when the border remained closed to non-essential travel by air, overseas residents averaged 2,800 trips per day. After the border was opened to fully vaccinated overseas arrivals, this average reached 6,100 for the six days after.
The PIK system was fully implemented in Toronto/Pearson Terminal 1 on June 22, 2021, and these counts are included in this leading indicator, starting with the July reference period. Infographic 1 shows the counts for September, both including and excluding international arrivals at Toronto/Pearson Terminal 1.
Infographic 1
Non-resident air travellers arriving in Canada, September 2019, 2020 and 2021
Non-resident arrivals by car
In September, US residents took 328,200 trips to Canada in US-licensed automobiles through 111 land ports equipped with the automated Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) application. While over five times higher than the 64,700 trips taken in September 2020, it was less than one-third (29.8%) of the 1.1 million US arrivals by car during the same month in 2019.
Infographic 2
US residents entering Canada in US-licensed automobiles, September 2019, 2020 and 2021
Canadians returning by air
The number of Canadian residents flying back from abroad in September via airports equipped with PIKs was 431,300, up from 67,200 in September 2020, but less than one half from the same month in 2019.
Again, some of the increase from September 2020 to September 2021 reflects the inclusion of international arrivals at Toronto/Pearson Terminal 1. Either including or excluding these arrivals, there were more returning Canadians flying home in September 2021.
Infographic 3
Canadian residents returning by air from abroad, September 2019, 2020 and 2021
Canadians returning by car
In September, there were 202,400 Canadian residents who returned from the United States in Canadian-licensed automobiles via the 111 IPIL equipped ports. While more than the 151,900 travellers recorded in September 2020, it is less than one-tenth (9.2%) of the 2.2 million who drove back across the border by car during the same month in 2019.
Infographic 4
Canadian residents returning from the United States in Canadian-licensed automobiles, September 2019, 2020 and 2021
Note to readers
This indicator uses administrative data from the Canada Border Services Agency on international travellers entering the country by automobile and by air.
Counts of travellers entering the country by air are from the Primary Inspection Kiosk (PIK) system and represent a subset of arrivals by air. Pre-pandemic PIK systems captured approximately 58% of international arrivals, as it excluded Toronto/Pearson Terminal 1 where PIKs were not yet deployed.
PIKs have been deployed at Toronto/Pearson Terminal 1 since June 22, 2021, and starting with the July reference period, these arrivals are included in the total counts and will raise coverage accordingly. The coverage statement will be amended when a complete year of international traffic is observed for all Canadian airports receiving international flights.
Counts of cross-border travel by automobile through 111 land ports equipped with the automated Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) system are available by the traveller's state or province of residence, based on the licence plate of the automobile, and by the province of entry into Canada.
The IPIL data are a subset of Canadian and US residents entering Canada by automobile and exclude some crossings. In 2020, the 111 IPIL ports captured approximately 80% of cross-border automobile traffic between Canada and the United States.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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