Seven Air Canada Pilots Win Arbitration Over COVID Shot Mandate
Seven Air Canada pilots affiliated with Free to Fly Canada have won a significant victory in labour arbitration after challenging the airline’s COVID shot mandate on religious grounds.
In a decision released in Air Canada v. Air Line Pilots’ Association, 2026 CanLII 16803, arbitrator James Hayes ruled that the pilots’ religious objections were sincere and directly connected to their refusal to comply with the company’s mandatory COVID injection policy.
The seven pilots involved in the grievance are Colin Finlay, David Sibley, Aric Verduyn, Darren Tucker, Matthew Griffin, Christopher Olson and Kale Haley.
At a time when victories for workers who resisted pandemic-era mandates have been rare, the ruling represents an important development for Canadians who lost jobs and livelihoods after refusing the injections.
Arbitrator: Pilots Testified Honestly
In his ruling, Hayes rejected any suggestion that the pilots’ religious claims lacked credibility.
He wrote:
“Where arbitrators in some cases have struggled in assessing the sincerity of a religious objection, that is definitely not the situation here. All of the grievors testified honestly and the substantive nexus between their religious beliefs and objections to the employer mandatory vaccination policy was manifest.”
The decision includes portions of the pilots’ testimony explaining how their faith informed their refusal to take the injections.
Free to Fly: Defending the Right to Travel Freely
Free to Fly Canada was founded by airline pilots who believe medical decisions should never determine whether someone can work or travel. The grassroots movement now includes nearly 3,000 aviation professionals and more than 35,000 passengers advocating for freedom of movement, informed consent and the right to make personal medical decisions without coercion or disclosure of private health information.
The Mandate Fallout
Canada’s pandemic travel restrictions and workplace mandates sidelined thousands of aviation workers. Pilots, flight attendants and airport employees faced suspension, unpaid leave or termination if they refused the COVID injections — policies critics say created coercive conditions incompatible with informed consent.
Free to Fly has been among the most visible groups challenging these policies in Canada’s aviation sector.
What This Means for the Ongoing Class Action
According to Free to Fly organizers, the arbitration decision does not directly affect their ongoing civil class action against the federal government, because labour arbitration and civil courts operate under different legal frameworks.
The case is still moving forward, though organizers say government delays pushed cross-examinations that were expected earlier this year. They now hope the process will advance in the coming months.
Resistance Mattered
For many Canadians who stood their ground despite losing jobs and careers, the ruling represents more than a legal technicality. It is a reminder that resistance to coercive COVID policies was not in vain.
Years after the height of the pandemic, the legal reckoning over mandates is still unfolding — and for many Canadians still fighting for accountability, every victory matters.
Read the full arbitration ruling HERE.
Learn more about Free to Fly Canada HERE.
*******************************************************************************************************************************