January 31

Every newsletter, we’ll be sharing updates from a variety of teams here at Toronto Pearson that will keep you informed about everything from staying safe on the job, to upcoming dates of importance, to tips on how to best help passengers with accessibility concerns, to health and wellness initiatives. Read each section below to learn more!

Safety Spotlight

Know a Safety Champion, Leader or Organization? Nominate Them for an Eye on Safety Award!

To support our vision of zero injuries, the GTAA has established the Eye on Safety (EOS) Recognition Awards Program. These awards increase awareness of the importance of health, safety and security at Toronto Pearson, and show our appreciation for airport employees who have gone above and beyond.

Did you know? All employees and organizations operating at YYZ can take advantage of this program! Nominations are awarded monthly and capped off with an awards event at the end of the year where nominees and event sponsors are invited to celebrate positive safety culture milestones.

Shining a spotlight on individuals and organizations demonstrating proactive behaviours helps promote the continuous improvement of the airport and builds a strong safety culture.

Nominate a person, leader or organization today! See the program guidelines here.

For more information regarding our program page and see some of our previous winners and their stories!

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion @ Pearson

Coming Up

Every February, we recognize Black History Month; a time to honor and celebrate the rich heritage and contributions of our Black communities at Toronto Pearson, across Canada, and globally. This year’s theme, Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build, invites us to reflect on the experiences and contributions of Black Canadians throughout history as we continue to work towards a more inclusive and equitable future.

Also around the corner is Lunar New Year. Known by many names (Chinese New Year, Seollal, Tết, and more!), Lunar New Year is a major holiday celebrated throughout East Asia. The Lunar Year progresses according to the lunisolar calendar and in 2024, begins on February 10. To all who will be celebrating this special time, we wish you a joyous Lunar New Year!

Accessible Airport

Celebrating White Cane Week

The first week of February is White Cane Week, a time to spotlight the challenges facing Canadians who are blind or partially sighted. Fun fact: YYZ was first airport to introduce Aira, an app that blends tech and human help, letting those with sight loss move around our airport on their own.

Wellness

Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind

Prevention is the name of the game when it comes to maintaining your health. February is Heart Month, and you might be surprised to learn that 8 in 10 cases of heart disease and stroke are preventable through healthy lifestyle behaviours. The heart-brain-mind connection is an important part of understanding prevention. There is scientific evidence that a healthy heart can lead to a healthy mind (or brain) and vice versa.

A Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind Lifestyle

Our body is an intricate ecosystem, so when something changes, it has a ripple effect. It’s well established that the following five lifestyle factors contribute to a healthy heart and healthy mind:

Practicing positive thinking: Make note of your internal voice; if your inner pessimist takes over, consider a mindset shift by training your mind to identify the positives in certain situations, or use meditation to help.
Decreasing stress: Try doing deep breathing exercises, increasing personal connections, and implementing stress-busting practices.
Eating healthy foods: Lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-sodium, omega-rich foods are optimal for heart health.
Quitting smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. If you need help quitting.
Staying active: Physical activity is critical to staying healthy. If you struggle to find time for exercise, add movement into your day by taking the stairs, walking at lunch, stretching or doing jumping jacks in between meetings.

We can have a positive impact on our heart-brain connection with small lifestyle changes. So, challenge yourself to continue adopting a healthy heart and healthy mind lifestyle!

The Layover