Last chance to see iconic snowbirds take flight before pause

The Canadian Snowbirds are shown during an airshow. (City of Barrie)

It’s not a ‘goodbye,’ but a ‘see you later.’

While this marks the end of an era, it won’t be too long before a new one begins.

This summer will mark the last opportunity – for a while anyway – for visitors to see Canada’s aerobatic team perform over the skies of Kempenfelt Bay.

Set to headline the Barrie Airshow in a few weeks, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds will take to the skies, as is the tradition in the city for the last more than 50 years.

But this year represents a bittersweet moment.

The Snowbird jets are expected to be grounded until the early 2030s while the Department of National Defence replaces the fleet with a new aircraft, the CT-157 Siskin II.

“With the Snowbirds set to pause performances after the 2026 season, this will be one of the last chances for families to experience this iconic team in action for several years,” said Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall. “We are thrilled to welcome the Snowbirds back to Barrie for what is shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend on our waterfront and one of the most exciting airshows our community has seen in years.”

Defence Minister David McGuinty made the official announcement Tuesday in Moose Jaw, the Snowbirds’ home base.

The future of the Snowbirds was already up in the air when rumours swirled after Conservative MP, Fraser Tolmie, accused the federal government of kiboshing the fleet.

• Barrie MPs fly into Snowbirds dogfight

It turns out the powerful symbol recognizing Canada’s military heritage is just getting a makeover.

John Brassard, MP for Barrie-Innisfil, fears for the future.

“Not having the Snowbirds as an iconic symbol of what the military means to this country is something that is certainly going to be lost in the near term,” Brassard told CTV News. “And my fear, is it’s going to be lost in the long-term.”

In an interview with CTV News, Honorary Colonel and Barrie Airshow Chair Wayne Hay highlighted the focus for the importance of this year.

“They’re part of our Canadian history, they’re part of the RCAF. They are the visible portion of our air force in our country and they’re pretty special,” Hay said. “And we will miss them for sure but again, 2026 will be their schedule and they’re going to do some incredible shows including Barrie.”

The signature waterfront event will bring the community together, offering aerial performances from the Snowbirds team, highlighting Barrie’s connection to the Royal Canadian Air Force and CFB Borden.

This year, there will be a special Saturday evening twilight show with a fireworks finale.

The event, which brings roughly 140,000 tourists to the city, recently made it onto Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals and Events list.

The Barrie Airshow is scheduled for the June 13 and 14 weekend.

• Canada’s Snowbirds jets grounded until 2030s as replacement aircraft identified