One of Toronto's airports will be shutting down its 2nd busiest runway. Here's what that means

Travellers are photographed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, on Thursday, December 16, 2021. The federal government is warning Canadians against non-essential travel internationally due to the risk of the Omicron variant that causes COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

Toronto Pearson International Airport will shut down its second busiest runway for months-long maintenance starting in early April.

In a notice posted to the airport’s website, officials say the east-west 06L/24R runway will be temporarily closed until the late fall for a “full rehabilitation” that will extend the life of the infrastructure by another 30 years.

“First built in the 1960s, this 3-km runway needs to be fully repaired due to the wearing down of its concrete sub-structure because of weather conditions, use and time,” the notice says.

“This project will be one of the largest runway repair projects in the airport’s history.”

The work is expected to be conducted in three phases, lasting until at least mid-November. In all three phases, officials say that neighbourhoods “may experience a noticeable increase in aircraft overhead” as well as an increase in noise levels.

“Due to the runway closure, we do anticipate less frequently used runway configurations, and communities who typically have less traffic overhead can expect more aircraft noise during the project,” the notice says.

“We have worked with the airlines to adjust flight schedules during the project to mitigate operational and community impacts. We will reassess our approach throughout the project to minimize impacts on our neighbouring communities.”

There will be a virtual public meeting on April 7 where residents can learn more about the projects and have their concerns addressed.