Air Canada has announced plans to discontinue service on 30 domestic regional routes and shutter eight stations across Canada.

The measures are part of a major cost-cutting strategy after the carrier suffered severe losses during COVID-19.

Making the announcement, Air Canada predicted that the industry's recovery will take a minimum of three years. As a result of this, further service suspensions will be considered over the coming weeks.

Route suspensions

The following routes will be suspended indefinitely.

Maritimes/Newfoundland and Labrador:

• Deer Lake-Goose Bay
• Deer Lake-St. John's
• Fredericton-Halifax
• Fredericton-Ottawa
• Moncton-Halifax
• Saint John-Halifax
• Charlottetown-Halifax
• Moncton-Ottawa
• Gander-Goose Bay
• Gander-St. John's
• Bathurst-Montreal
• Wabush-Goose Bay
• Wabush-Sept-Iles
• Goose Bay-St. John's

Quebec/Ontario:

• Baie Comeau-Montreal
• Baie Comeau-Mont Joli
• Gaspé-Iles de la Madeleine
• Gaspé-Quebec City
• Sept-Iles-Quebec City
• Val d'Or-Montreal
• Mont Joli-Montreal
• Rouyn-Noranda-Val d'Or
• Kingston-Toronto
• London-Ottawa
• North Bay-Toronto
• Windsor-Montreal

Western Canada: 

• Regina-Winnipeg
• Regina-Saskatoon
• Regina-Ottawa
• Saskatoon-Ottawa

Station closures

The following are the Regional Airports where Air Canada is closing its stations.

• Bathurst (New Brunswick)
• Wabush (Newfoundland and Labrador)
• Gaspé (Quebec)
• Baie Comeau (Quebec)
• Mont Joli (Quebec)
• Val d'Or (Quebec)
• Kingston (Ontario)
• North Bay (Ontario)

As a result of COVID-19, Air Canada reported a net loss of $1.05 billion in the first quarter of 2020.

The company has undertaken a range of cost-saving measures, including a workforce reduction of approximately 20,000 employees and the permanent removal of 79 aircraft from its mainline and Rouge fleets.

The company says that further initiatives are also being considered.

Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline, serving over 51 million customers in 2019.