The future of the Moose Jaw-based Snowbirds 431 Air Demonstration is, quite literally, up in the air, according to Moose Jaw-Lake Centre Lanigan MP Fraser Tolmie. 

Tolmie says that the summer of 2026 may be the last chance Canadians could see the Royal Canadian Air Force's iconic Snowbirds aerobatic team for years.

“For fifty years, the iconic Snowbirds of the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron have served as one of the Canadian Armed Forces’ most effective recruitment tools and a powerful showcase of Canadian military excellence," said Tolmie in a prepared statement. "They have inspired countless Canadians across the country to join the Canadian Armed Forces and become pilots. 

“Without offering a clear explanation, Prime Minister Carney is prepared to erase that proud legacy by cancelling the Snowbirds without providing a replacement, making it even harder to recruit the men and women our armed forces urgently need."

According to Tolmie, the federal government is looking to push pause on the Snowbirds for five years. Several years ago, the federal government allocated $30 million of funding to keep the Snowbirds’ fleet of Tutor jets airworthy through 2030.

They are not accepting bookings for the 2027 summer schedule at this time, according to Tolmie. 

The RCAF has flown aerobatic teams since the 1950s. The Snowbirds were formally established in 1971 as the Canadian Forces’ official aerobatic demonstration team. Each summer, they perform at air shows across North America from May to October and have regularly made appearances overseas.