Nanaimo council won’t support campaign to keep Snowbirds in the air
Published 12:30 pm Monday, July 13, 2026
Supporting the continuation of Canada’s iconic Snowbirds demonstration squadron is not on the radar of Nanaimo’s city council.
Council voted at its meeting on July 6 against supporting a national campaign to keep the Snowbird squadron, which tours North America to demonstrate the skill and teamwork of the Royal Canadian Air Force, in the air when the squadron is grounded after this year’s flying season.
Canada’s Defence Minister David McGuinty announced in May that the Snowbirds won’t be flying again following the 2026 flying season until new aircraft to replace the squadron’s outdated CT-114 Tutor jets arrive.
It’s been estimated that it could be the early 2030s before the Snowbirds are back performing at air shows again.
James Murdock, the mayor of Moose Jaw, where the flying squadron is stationed, is urging local governments across Canada to support the “No Pause” campaign that would keep the Snowbird’s going without disruption.
In the letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, that Murdock is encouraging local governments to sign, it says Canadian municipalities recognize the importance of maintaining safety and operational effectiveness.
“However, we respectfully encourage the Government of Canada to also consider the significant cultural, community, and national value the Snowbirds provide,” the letter said.
“We respectfully urge the government to carefully consider the future of this program and to support its continuation in a manner that preserves its legacy for future generations.”
But Coun. Paul Manly said he thought the reason the program was being sidelined is because the jets are beyond their life cycle.
“So I’m not sure whether it would be a good idea to ask the government to extend a program that would put pilots at risk,” he said.
“I just think that there’s a reason why it’s been sidelined.”
Council voted against supporting the No Pause campaign.
The last time the Snowbirds performed in Nanaimo was in August, 2025, when the squadron drew thousands of spectators to watch the air show, and marked the team’s first appearance in the city in many years.
