Fact Check: "Canada has six major international airports in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver."
What We Know
The claim states that Canada has six major international airports located in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver. According to Transport Canada, an international airport is defined as one designated for international commercial air traffic, where customs and immigration procedures are conducted. As of August 11, 2023, there are 13 airports in Canada that are officially designated as international airports, which include the following:
- Ottawa (Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport)
- Montreal (Montréal–Trudeau International Airport)
- Edmonton (Edmonton International Airport)
- Calgary (Calgary International Airport)
- Vancouver (Vancouver International Airport)
However, Winnipeg (Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport) is also classified as an international airport, making the total count of the mentioned cities correct. The remaining airports that are designated as international but not listed in the claim include Toronto (Toronto Pearson International Airport) and others like Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
Analysis
The claim is partially true because it accurately lists five of the six international airports but overlooks the fact that there are additional international airports in Canada. The inclusion of Winnipeg is correct, but the statement does not clarify that there are more than six international airports in total.
The reliability of the information is high, as it is sourced from Transport Canada, which is the authoritative body responsible for the designation of international airports in Canada. The information is also corroborated by multiple news sources that have reported on the status of these airports, including incidents that have occurred at them (source-3, source-5).
However, it is important to note that the claim could mislead readers into thinking that these six are the only major international airports in Canada, which is not the case. The definition of "major" is subjective and could vary depending on passenger traffic or other metrics, but the claim does not provide this context.
Conclusion
The verdict is Partially True. While the claim correctly identifies six international airports in Canada, it fails to mention that there are a total of 13 designated international airports, which could mislead readers about the overall landscape of international air travel in Canada.
