I am planning an Australia/New Zealand trip in December of 2021. I currently have points flights booked from YYZ - SYD and back (via YVR).

I noticed that AC is adding YVR - AKL beginning in early December. That means I could fly YYZ - YVR - SYD on the outbound and AKL - YVR - YYZ on the inbound, which would be ideal.

I am assuming that (in what I hope is largely a rebuilding, post-COVID world by then) AC is more likely to retain the SYD flights than the AKL (since SYD is a well-established route).

So here's the question: If I book AKL - YYZ and they end up cancelling that route, will AC then be responsible to get me back from there one way or another? Or might they just cancel the flight and do nothing to re-accommodate me? I guess I'm wondering if I should make the safe play (sticking with SYD-YYZ) or take a chance on the more convenient option.