City of Delta Cancels 2026 Boundary Bay Airshow Amid Funding Debate

The City of Delta has cancelled the Boundary Bay Airshow for 2026, ending a regional summer tradition that spanned nearly two decades. The decision was announced quietly in a February 23 press release, which focused on a new vision for city-sponsored gatherings. The cancellation signals a shift in municipal event strategy and has exposed a public disagreement among elected officials regarding the decision-making process.

The brief, three-sentence announcement was included at the end of a release touting a trio of new “marquee events and community celebrations” for the year. No explicit reason for the cancellation was provided in the initial statement, which thanked event partner Alpha Aviation for its long-standing collaboration.

“Delta is grateful to Alpha Aviation for the years of partnership in hosting the airshow, which over nearly two decades has become a beloved summer event for the entire region,” the city's release stated. It also expressed a desire to work with Alpha Aviation President Melissa Sayers and founder Fred Kaiser on future opportunities.

Financial and Political Context

The cancellation comes after discussions about the event's financial model and a public dispute between city leaders. Under its previous co-hosting agreement, the City of Delta provided significant financial and organizational support. For the 2025 event, which featured the Canadian Forces (CF) Snowbirds (officially the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron) as headliners, the city's expenses totaled $315,000. An additional $25,000 was allocated for policing services.

This total contribution of $340,000 represented approximately half of the entire budget for all city-run events in 2025, highlighting the airshow's significant financial commitment. As recently as a December 2025 council meeting, city staff anticipated receiving a formal request from Alpha Aviation to host the 2026 airshow, which would have been subject to council approval.

Following the cancellation announcement, a political rift became public. Mayor George Harvie, in a social media post, expressed his disappointment and alleged that the city council had made changes to the airshow's plans during his absence. “I’m very disappointed. It’s an iconic special event and I hope in future years we can bring it back,” Harvie wrote.

Coun. Dylan Kruger publicly refuted the mayor's claim, calling it “patently false.” In a response, Kruger stated, “Council made no changes to the proposed 2026 Boundary Bay Airshow during the mayor’s absence. Suggesting otherwise misrepresents the facts and misleads the public.”

A Shifting Event Strategy

The decision to cancel the airshow aligns with a broader strategic shift in Delta's approach to community events. Staff presentations from late 2025 indicated a desire for a “refreshed and expanded approach to city events that enhances the overall experience for residents.” It was noted at the time that the airshow's format had remained largely unchanged over the last decade.

Even before the 2026 cancellation, the city was exploring new partnership models for the event. For 2027, staff had been considering shifting the city's role from a co-host to a presenting sponsor. This change would likely have altered the financial and logistical responsibilities of the municipality, suggesting a move towards reducing the city's direct involvement and cost burden for the large-scale event.

The new “marquee events” intended to replace the airshow's prominence on the calendar are part of this refreshed strategy, aiming to distribute municipal resources across multiple, potentially more diverse, community celebrations.

What Comes Next

The immediate future of the Boundary Bay Airshow remains uncertain. While Mayor Harvie has expressed a desire for its return, the current council's direction and the city's new event strategy make a revival in the short term unlikely. The city and Alpha Aviation have publicly committed to exploring opportunities for future collaboration, though the nature of such a partnership has not been defined.

For 2026, the City of Delta will proceed with its new calendar of events, effectively reallocating the significant funds and resources previously dedicated to the airshow. The focus will be on establishing the three new marquee celebrations as successful replacements in the community's annual schedule.

Why This Matters

This cancellation serves as a case study in the evolving landscape of municipal event funding and public-private partnerships. It demonstrates a trend where local governments are re-evaluating the high cost and logistical burden of single, large-scale events in favor of a more diversified portfolio of community activities. The public disagreement among city officials also underscores the political complexities that can arise when long-standing community traditions intersect with changing fiscal priorities and governance.

Trusted commercial aviation news and airline industry reporting are available at flying.flights. Stay informed on aviation incidents, investigations, and best practices in the Safety category at flying.flights/safety.