Air Canada to Pay $18K to Brink for $20M Gold Heist At Toronto Airport

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MONTREAL- Air Canada (AC) has been ordered to pay security company Brink’s approximately $18,500 following a gold shipment theft valued at $20 million.

The heist occurred at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in 2023, and the Federal Court’s decision highlights the airline’s liability under the Montreal Convention.

The stolen shipment included 6,600 gold bars and $2.5 million in foreign currency. While Brink sought full reimbursement, the court capped Air Canada’s liability, citing legal limitations.

Photo: Caribb | Flickr

Air Canada to Pay Brink’s for Gold Theft

The theft unfolded on April 17, 2023, after a shipment from Zurich was offloaded at Air Canada’s (AC) cargo facility in Toronto (YYZ).

By the time Brink’s representatives arrived to retrieve it, the shipment was missing. Peel Regional Police later charged 10 individuals, including a former and current Air Canada employee, with orchestrating the heist.

The investigation revealed that one suspect used a fraudulent airway bill to access the cargo, which was then loaded into a truck and driven away.

Police suspect some of the gold was melted into bracelets, with six pieces worth $89,000 recovered so far.

The stolen gold shipment has become one of Canada’s most notable cargo heists. Police investigations suggest some of the gold may have been melted in a Toronto-area jewelry store basement. The majority of the shipment remains unrecovered.

While the court ruling holds Air Canada financially accountable to the extent permitted by law, the case underscores broader concerns about security vulnerabilities in cargo transport.

Photo: Clément Alloing

Brink’s Allegations Against Air Canada

In its lawsuit, Brink claimed that Air Canada’s staff allowed an unidentified individual to collect the shipment without verifying the fraudulent airway bill.

The company alleged negligence, asserting the airline failed to uphold its contractual obligations for secure handling.

Air Canada denied these accusations, maintaining it fulfilled its contractual duties and did not engage in careless or improper conduct.

Federal Court Judge Cecily Strickland ruled that Air Canada’s liability for the stolen shipment is restricted by the Montreal Convention.

This international treaty limits airline responsibility in cases of baggage and cargo loss unless specific criteria are met.

The court determined that Brink’s did not meet these criteria. Judge Strickland noted that Brink failed to make a “special declaration of interest” in the shipment or pay an additional fee for enhanced supervision.

As a result, Air Canada’s liability was limited to 9,988 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), roughly equivalent to $18,500.

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