You will need to clear customs in Toronto.

If your flights are on time you have a reasonable chance of making your connection. But if you read this thread, you'll see that there have been tons of problems lately with flights being parked on the tarmac for long stretches because of congestion in the customs area. There have also been problems with delays going through security. That said, the issues seem more pronounced at Terminal 1 than Terminal 3 which is where you'll be. So yes, in theory you have enough time, but the airports and airlines are really struggling these days, so you won't really know until you arrive.

Here's more bad news from Toronto. Last night some passengers waited on the tarmac for three hours, then still had to go through interminable lines to get to customs and baggage. Things seem to be getting worse, not better.

Can those with Nexus go straight to the dedicated terminals or do they need to wait in the main line like everyone else?

The main line, at least in theory. It’s not until you get into the customs hall that they divide people.

Has anyone whose final destination is YYZ bought a refundable one way ticket to YOW just so that they could be part of the "connecting passengers" first off the plane?

Get off and clear customs then cancel the ticket?

While unethical, I wondered as well. I don’t think they need to see a boarding pass, just a proof of ticket would do. Nothing would prevent you from booking a ticket (refundable or not), print your electronic ticket and then cancel within 24 hrs to avoid penalty. The crew isn’t going to check it to see if it’s still valid.

However I wouldn’t do it since some people truly have connecting flights and every minute would count for them.

On the other hand, I wish they allowed Nexus cardholders to exit sooner since they use a separate line in the arrivals hall anyhow.

Arrived this morning from the US. Nexus holder, no lines in any customs areas, no wait to deplane. Took about 10min from plane exit to waiting for a taxi. Morning or early afternoon flights are worthwhile if you can line the timing up with your plans.

Thanks. Hopefully holds true for my flight arriving on a Sunday afternoon. I've always found YYZ awful for both immigration and baggage (despite being Canadian), so this thread has put a fair bit of dread in me. But I haven't seen family in 3 1/2 years, so time to head back.

Sadly, have to put up with the chaos at Heathrow on the way back. Hey ho, such is International travel nowadays.

What are the odds that the staffing issues in Pearson will remain well into June. Curious as I'm flying to Europe, on business, from T1 in just over a month and wondering if I should be at the airport more than the usual 3 hours earlier I usually aim for.

(I'm also terrified about wait times returning...luckily Toronto is my terminating airport, so no connection issues I foresee)

Buy a refundable one way domestic ticket departing about an hour after your scheduled arrival in case they hold you hostage on the plane you can say you have a tight connection and get off first.

I'm doing that with a US return from ATL next week. Going to Sudbury. But I'm not. And I have no ethical qualms about doing this. They had two years to prepare. They've failed. And said its the fault of passengers.

I arrived on the 7th morning on AC, there was no announcement about connecting pax and I in fact messed up by going to immigration instead of flight connections and had to go back all the way. AC in fact tried to put me on the next flight saying that I would miss my connection because of security queue but there was no queue at all. I made my flight with plenty of time and I guess it depend on the time of the day.

Make sure you have no checked bags.

I'm always carry on. Been travelling since 1982 non stop. I get it.

Yesterday on AC81 TLV-YYZ arriving late 17:40. No hostage situation. Bad for me as I had a 18:35 YYZ-LAX to catch and I didn't get "priority de-boarding". Actually 10-20 pax from that flight continued on to USCBP.