Canadian airports to be equipped with CT scanners to detect explosives, other threats

A new Canadian Air Transport Security Authority CT scanner is pictured at Vancouver international Airport in Richmond B.C., on Sept. 18, 2024. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press)

At one Canadian airport, removing laptops and liquids from your carry-on at security is a thing of the past, thanks to a fresh use of half-century-old technology.

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This month, Vancouver became the first flight hub in the country to deploy CT scanners in a bid to detect explosives and other threats, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority says.

The agency said Wednesday it plans to install the technology, which provides 360-degree views via computerized X-ray imaging, at airport checkpoints across the country in the coming years.

As a result, travellers will no longer need to remove liquids, aerosols, gels or large electronics — laptops included — from their carry-on bags, said Vancouver International Airport CEO Tamara Vrooman.

It maintains high security standards while making it easier to move through the checks, she said in a statement.

The project was announced at the Vancouver airport, where five of the machines now sit astride conveyer belts in the security screening area. They've been operation since Sept. 4, according to the airport authority.

Nada Semaan, who heads the aviation security authority, said the technology aims to catch explosives and other "threat items" while easing the passenger experience.

The agency said more upgrades are planned at other airports over several years, beginning this fall. It declined to specify a timeline or which airports will undergo a security overhaul.

The Crown corporation said its funding for the project amounted to $23 million for the first year.

The Vancouver airport invested another $30 million to renovate the space and accommodate the gear, the airport authority said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024