Revised - Air North’s first Toronto-bound flight took off just after 8 a.m. Tuesday with Joe Sparling, the airline’s president and CEO, at the controls.

It arrived in Toronto last night after a brief stop in Yellowknife, marking the launch of the first-ever scheduled service between these capital cities.

“This route, as well as the other gateway destinations we serve, offer Yukoners seamless and affordable access to the rest of Canada and the world,” said Sparling.

“These flights keep families connected, open doors to educational and sports opportunities for our youth, make tourism and cultural experiences available to many more Canadians, and serve as an invaluable economic link.”

In the North, it’s clearly understood how vital connection is personally, economically and culturally, Sparling added.

The twice-weekly seasonal service to Toronto will operate until early October.

“Scale is redefined when moose outnumber people; there’s 0.09 Yukoners  per square kilometre and the closest provincial capital is 1,500 kilometres away,” Air North said.

“It takes an airline with its roots in the territories, one that pulses with the resolve of those who live North of 60, to take on a route like this.”

“The Vuntut Gwitchin made a decision just over 20 years ago to invest in Air North,” said Greg Charlie, a Vuntut Gwitchin member and member of Air North’s board of directors.

“Our home is the Yukon’s sole community that’s accessible only by air. Securing reliable and affordable transportation was necessary for our community and to provide opportunities for our youth.”

The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation in Old Crow owns 49 per cent of Air North.

“As the Yukon’s only community accessible exclusively by air, this route will be a necessary means for economic growth, and an important cultural and personal link,” the airline said.

“As Canadians seek to better understand each other, the flight unlocks unprecedented opportunities for more people than ever before to explore both territories and immerse themselves in the cultures of Indigenous peoples who call the Yukon and Northwest Territories home.”

More than 1,500 Yukoners also invested in Air North, which gives the company a mandate based around Yukoners’ needs.

“As northerners, we know importance of resilience, self-determination and charting our own course to secure our future,’ said Sparling.

“Air North’s intention with this service is based on that, just as it has been with our other routes and our partnerships.

“We’re here to provide the best service for Yukoners, to connect the territory and our friends and partners in the Northwest Territories with southern destinations, to create economic opportunities.

“We’re proud to know that we’re helping make the North a better place to live and work.”

To mark what’s being called “a milestone occasion” for Canadian aviation, passengers were met by a special event at Toronto Pearson International Airport, celebrating its cultural and economic significance.

Aboard the inaugural flight were Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, Premier Sandy Silver, Ranj Pillai, the minister of Economic Development and Tourism and Culture, Doris Bill, the chief of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, and Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Coun. Bonnee Bingham.

Attendees at the Pearson airport event were treated to a special performance from the Teechik Dancers, a Vuntut Gwitchin group from Old Crow.

“By providing direct flights between Whitehorse and Toronto, we are in turn connecting Yukon businesses to the country’s biggest economic hub and creating a pathway for people around the world to visit our territory,” Pillai said.

“We are thrilled Air North, Yukon’s Airline, is able to offer this new service, and I look forward to welcoming more visitors to the Yukon and sharing the economic benefits that come with this additional air access.”

Air North has been in operation since Feb. 1, 1977. It acquired its first jets and began connecting the Yukon with southern gateway cities in 2002, beginning with Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

Air North now counts Victoria, Kelowna, B.C. and Ottawa among its other gateway connections—with Yellowknife on both the Ottawa and Toronto routes.

In the North, the airline offers ATR 42 turboprop service between Whitehorse and Dawson City, Old Crow and Inuvik. It also flies charter services for both passengers and cargo across North America.