Toronto Pearson has awarded a 1.5 billion Canadian dollar Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 revitalization program, the airport said on July 21, 2026. The contracts go to NORR-DIALOG for design and to PCL Construction as construction manager, as the next major piece of Pearson LIFT.
For travelers, the headline is not a single new gate opening tomorrow. It is a multi-year rebuild of the passenger path: check-in, security, customs, lounges, charging, baggage, and gate areas, staged while flights keep running.
- Investment: 1.5 billion CAD for Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 revitalization.
- Partners: NORR-DIALOG designs; PCL Construction manages build risk.
- Scope: Lounges, charging, baggage, check-in, security, and customs spaces.
- Delivery: Staged construction so Pearson keeps operating during the work.
- Program: Second major Pearson LIFT milestone after the May airside and baggage phase.
What Pearson announced on July 21
In an official statement carried on Canada Newswire, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority said it awarded the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 Revitalization Program.
NORR-DIALOG, a joint venture of two Ontario-rooted design firms, leads planning, architecture, engineering, and integrated design. PCL Construction joins as Construction Manager at Risk.
Airport president and CEO Deborah Flint framed the award as another Pearson LIFT milestone. Pearson LIFT is the multi-year Long-term Investment in Facilities and Terminals program meant to renew aging systems and support higher passenger demand.
Pearson said the work modernizes infrastructure while creating a faster, more comfortable journey. Investments target gates, passenger processing areas, and customs and immigration facilities so people can move more smoothly from curb to aircraft.
CityNews Toronto reported the same contract award and the airport’s emphasis on modernizing Terminals 1 and 3 under the LIFT umbrella.
What changes for passengers, and what does not
Pearson listed concrete program improvements across both terminals. The list includes expanded terminal spaces, refreshed lounges, more in-terminal charging stations, improved baggage processing, modernized check-in areas, and advanced security screening.
Those are the traveler-facing hooks. Lounge quality, power at the gate, how long bags take to appear, and how check-in and security feel are daily decisions for people connecting through Canada’s largest airport.
What the July 21 notice does not do is publish a full construction calendar with week-by-week gate closures.
Pearson says the build will be staged to keep the airport safe and efficient while limiting disruption for passengers and airlines. That means the practical near-term rule is still: arrive with buffer and follow live terminal guidance.
In May 2026, Pearson launched the first major LIFT phase with a separate 3 billion dollar investment focused on airside work and baggage systems. The new terminal contracts extend that transformation into the public buildings where most of the passenger journey actually happens.
How this fits the wider Pearson LIFT plan
Pearson LIFT is designed as a decade-scale modernization of Canada’s busiest airport. The May airfield and baggage package and the July terminal design-and-build awards are related but not identical streams.
Airside capacity and bag systems sit under the first phase. Terminal interiors, processing, and amenities sit under this new 1.5 billion dollar program.
Flint said Toronto Pearson must keep fueling Canada’s economy by welcoming more passengers with a better experience. Design partners echoed that much of the work will be invisible to travelers if it succeeds: the best journey is one where people notice the result, not the construction mechanics.
For a United States traveler using Pearson as a gateway, the story sits alongside other recent airport process changes.
Deep Arrival already covered Terminal 1 ride-share pickup zone changes and Mobile Passport Control guidance for some U.S.-bound trips.
Those posts answer same-day curb and preclearance choices. This announcement answers the longer rebuild of the terminals themselves.
Who should care first
Connecting passengers who already struggle with tight Pearson transfers should treat the revitalization as a multi-year warning, not a one-day crisis. Staged work can move security queues, close lounge doors temporarily, or shift bag reclaim paths even when flights operate normally.
Originating travelers on long-haul and transborder itineraries will care most about lounge refreshes, charging density, and security screening upgrades. Families and business travelers who work through long waits benefit first when power and seating improve.
Airlines that base large operations at Pearson, including Air Canada, depend on terminal fluidity for on-time performance. Bag-system and check-in modernization is as much an airline reliability story as a passenger comfort story.
If you are booking bags, seats, or a long connection, keep using current official tools. Pearson’s program page and airline apps remain the live authorities for temporary walkways, security lane maps, and baggage delays while contractors work in phases.
Practical planning while the work runs
Build connection time with construction in mind. A timed transfer that looks legal on paper can still fail if a temporary security detour or bag carousel shift eats the buffer.
Power and lounge access may change by zone before a full refresh is complete. If you need a reliable work surface or a quiet hour between flights, confirm lounge status on the day of travel rather than relying on an older terminal map.
Watch for bag claim and check-in reroutes. Improved baggage processing is part of the scope, but construction phases can temporarily relocate carousels or kiosks before the permanent layout arrives.
Use official airport channels for day-of truth. Social feeds and the Pearson website remain the fastest way to learn which doors, lanes, or levels are affected on a given morning.
Separate this program from unrelated same-week news. A new retail pop-up or a one-day traffic advisory is not the same stream as a multi-year terminal redesign award.
United States connections and bag rules still matter
Many Deep Arrival readers use Pearson as a Canada gateway rather than a final destination. If you connect to or from the United States, terminal construction can interact with preclearance timing even when your flight is on time.
Bag policy still belongs to the airline ticket, not the construction contract. Before you rebook or pay for extra bags during a disrupted transfer day, recheck Air Canada baggage fees or your operating carrier’s current allowance so a temporary carousel move does not turn into an unexpected bag fee argument.
A concrete traveler scenario helps. Imagine a two-hour evening connection from a delayed regional flight into a long-haul departure.
If security screening or a check-in island has been temporarily relocated for demolition work, the legal connection can evaporate.
The fix is not panic rebooking at the first delay. It is knowing which terminal you use, where recheck happens, and how much buffer you still have before the airline’s minimum connect time.
| If you are… | Do this next |
|---|---|
| Connecting through Pearson this month | Keep extra transfer buffer and check live security and bag claim maps before you fly. |
| Booking a long-haul trip for later 2026 or 2027 | Expect staged terminal work, not a finished rebuild, and recheck lounge and gate notes closer to departure. |
| Choosing Air Canada or another Pearson hub carrier | Use the airline app for day-of gate and bag status while the airport rebuilds processing areas. |
| Comparing airports for a Canada itinerary | Treat Pearson’s LIFT awards as a multi-year capacity bet, not proof that today’s queues are already shorter. |
- Arrive earlier on complex days: Staged work can add walking and queue time without canceling flights.
- Recheck lounges and charging: Refreshes are planned, but temporary closures can hit popular zones first.
- Follow bag claim signs, not memory: Improved processing is a goal; carousel locations may shift during phases.
- Keep official apps open: Pearson and airline tools beat third-party maps when lanes move overnight.
The July 21 award locks design and construction partners for Terminals 1 and 3. It does not freeze every traveler amenity into a single opening date.
The useful habit is to track Pearson LIFT as a live program and verify the terminal path you will actually walk on your travel day.
When will Toronto Pearson finish the Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 revitalization?
Pearson has not published a single final completion date in the July 21 announcement. The airport says the work will be delivered in stages while terminals stay open.
Will flights stop while Pearson rebuilds Terminals 1 and 3?
No. Pearson says construction will be staged to keep the airport operating safely and efficiently for passengers and airline partners.
What passenger areas are included in the 1.5 billion dollar program?
Pearson lists expanded terminal spaces, refreshed lounges, more charging stations, improved baggage processing, modernized check-in, advanced security screening, and customs and immigration facilities.
Is this the same project as Pearson’s May 2026 airfield investment?
No. May’s package focused on a 3 billion dollar airside and baggage systems phase, while July’s award funds Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 revitalization under the same Pearson LIFT program.
