Thousands gathered along the Nanaimo waterfront last August to watch the Snowbirds perform, in what would turn out to be their last appearance in Nanaimo for upwards of a decade. Their aging Tutor jets are being retired after the end of the 2026 air show circuit. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

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‘Something we’ve really enjoyed:’ Island residents bidding farewell to Snowbirds

May 20, 2026 | 10:21 AM

COMOX — Time is running out to see the Canadian Forces Snowbirds for the foreseeable future.

The federal government announced Tuesday, May 19, the squadron would be grounded after this year’s air show circuit so their aging Tutor jets could be replaced, something which won’t happen until the early 2030s.

The team’s impending departure in the Comox Valley, where the team has trained almost annually in the spring since the mid-1970s, is being met with sadness from those in the community.

“Being able to see them in the sky three times a day for six weeks is something we’ve really enjoyed over the many years that they’ve been in the sky,” Comox Mayor Nicole Minions said. “I think the reality is the logistics of having safe planes and safety for the pilots is obviously the most important thing.”

One final Vancouver Island performance is scheduled for Aug. 4 along the Dallas Rd. waterfront in Victoria, while a flypast is due four days later in the capital’s inner harbour.

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Those in Nanaimo were treated to two shows last August, their first visit to the Harbour City in six years.

Minions said the squadron was a big tourist draw for the region and formed part of the community’s identity, stemming from a plane staged at the entrance to the Comox Valley.

“I don’t want to say they’re the mascot of our Air Force base, but it really highlights what the pilots are capable of doing in the sky and I think we’ve just had a lot of pride for being their spring training ground.”

The new planes, CT-157 Siskin II jets, will replace the Tutors, which took to the skies in the 1960s and have served as the Snowbirds’ aircraft of choice since the early 1970s.

No cost estimates were announced this week by the federal government for the procurement of the jets, nor a firm timeline beyond the early 2030s from defence minister David McGuinty.

— with files from Jon de Roo, 97.3 The Eagle

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by Alex Rawnsley

‘Something we’ve really enjoyed:’ Island residents bidding farewell to Snowbirds

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