Overview: Pearson and other Canadian airports confront a second CBSA kiosk outage
Travellers in Toronto and across Canada are facing longer wait times as the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) endures a second outage of its inspection kiosks this week. The disruption, which began in the late morning, is impacting arrivals and departures at several international hubs, with Pearson International Airport in Toronto confirming slowed processing at terminals 1 and 3.
What happened and how it unfolded
CBSA spokesperson Luke Reimer said the outage started around 10:20 a.m. local time and affected multiple international airports nationwide, though he did not name specific locations. The agency is investigating the root cause and is working to restore connectivity as quickly as possible. In the meantime, border officers are directing affected travellers to primary inspection lines for manual processing, with safety and security standards maintained at all times.
“We are investigating the cause of the outage and we are working to restore connectivity as quickly as possible,” Reimer wrote in an email, adding that travellers and stakeholders have been cooperative and that the agency apologizes for the inconvenience. The outage’s breadth has meant longer lines and heightened wait times at Pearson’s terminals 1 and 3 while crews work to verify identities, assess declarations, and conduct any additional screening warranted by individual circumstances.
Impact on travelers and airport operations
Passengers arriving at Pearson and attempting Canada-bound travel have faced longer than normal lines as staff redirect them to manual processing. CBSA is emphasizing that border security and identity verification remain the top priorities, with officers continuing to check travel documents and perform inspections where needed. The disruption mirrors a similar outage earlier in the week, which CBSA described as the result of an unforeseen technical issue during routine systems maintenance.
During Sunday’s disruption, the problem extended to the check-in process for Canada-bound flights. Airline staff reportedly had to contact Canadian authorities to verify both domestic and foreign passports manually, a step normally handled by the automated kiosks. The ripple effect has been felt across major airports in Vancouver, Montreal, and other cities where checkpoints have struggled to keep pace with arrivals and departures.
Context: previous outage and ongoing response
CBSA acknowledged the earlier outage was linked to a routine maintenance window and an unforeseen technical issue. The agency says it is reviewing systems and engaging with aviation partners to prevent a recurrence, while keeping travellers informed through airport channels and official statements. Airport operators have urged patience from passengers and have advised checking flight statuses and allowing extra time for security checks.
Tips for travelers ahead of your next trip
- Plan for extra time at security and border checks, especially if you’re arriving on international flights.
- Monitor official airport and airline alerts for real-time updates on kiosk availability and inspection queue lengths.
- Have digital and physical copies of your travel documents ready; if a kiosk is offline, prepare for manual checks.
- Arrive early for flights during peak travel periods to cushion potential delays at the border.
What CBSA and airports are doing moving forward
CBSA emphasizes that the safety and security of travellers remain the agency’s priority, with border services officers ready to facilitate identity verification and declarations in all scenarios. Airports are coordinating with CBSA to manage queues, re-route travellers if necessary, and minimize disruption while the system returns to full operation.
Bottom line
The latest CBSA kiosk outage has again slowed Canada’s border processing, with Pearson in Toronto among the airports reporting extended wait times. While investigators work to identify and fix the root cause, travellers should expect delays and prepare for manual processing where kiosks are unavailable.
