Celebrations of Air North’s latest route expansion continued Wednesday in Toronto.

On Tuesday, the airline launched the first-ever direct service between Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Toronto, with the aircraft landing to a Pearson airport celebration on Tuesday night.

An event was held Wednesday evening at CIBC Square in downtown Toronto to highlight the Yukon’s cultural and natural wonders.

Works from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection and the Yukon Prize for Visual Arts were exhibited, as well as Travel Yukon promotional displays. There was also a performance by the Teechik Dancers accompanied by Yukon musicians Boyd Benjamin and Kevin Barr.

Premier Sandy Silver, Ranj Pillai, the minister of Economic Development and of Tourism and Culture, Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, Kwanlin Dün First Nation Chief Doris Bill, Ta’an Kwäch’än Council Chief Amanda Leas and Air North president and CEO Joe Sparling, who captained Tuesday’s flight, attended morning celebrations at the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport and at Pearson.

The celebrations included a special performance from the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation’s cultural ambassadors, the Teechik Dancers.

“Air North, Yukon’s Airline, owes our success to key Indigenous and community partnerships, which have allowed us to navigate the many challenges we have encountered during the past 20 years,” Sparling said.

“This will broaden education, sports and cultural horizons for youth, and facilitate regional economic development. We are proud to make the North a better place to live and work.”

The twice-weekly flights will be offered until early October.