Global IT outage hits Canada: Airports, TD Bank, U.S. border, hospital disruptions and more after faulty CrowdStrike update

A historic outage continues to have an impact on computers running Microsoft Windows around the world, which includes pivotal Canadian industries.

Toronto, ON - July 19: Hundreds of travellers flying with Porter Airlines wait to learn if their flights will be delayed or cancelled as an issue affecting Microsoft 365 apps and services causes havoc across the globe. PD Nick Lachance/Toronto Star Nick Lachance/Toronto Star        (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
Hundreds of travellers flying with Porter Airlines wait to learn if their flights will be delayed or cancelled as an issue affecting Microsoft 365 apps and services causes havoc across the globe. (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Canadians woke up Friday facing the first-hand effects of a global IT outage that disrupted multiple industries, including banks, health care, border crossings and airlines. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said the problem occurred when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows — and that the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack.

While a fix is in the works and systems are slowly coming back online, the impacts of the CrowdStrike outage will linger for days, experts say, as it affects Microsoft 365 apps and services.

"The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," the tech giant behind the outage wrote in a statement.

"We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on."

After a full day of disruptions across Canada, here is a look at where things currently stand.

For airlines, the outage predominantly impacted U.S.-based carriers such as United Airlines and American Airlines, resulting in numerous cancellations and delays. Porter Airlines, which operates flights across Canada and to some U.S. locations, had also been affected, as they initially cancelled or delayed all flights on Friday. However, the Toronto-based airline shared an update at 2:30 p.m. ET that they would be resuming operations.

All major airports across Canada continue to experience delays, and travellers are urged to check their flight status with their airline before heading to the airport.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported a partial outage of its telephone reporting system, used primarily by small aircraft passengers and boaters, which has since been resolved. CBSA noted that no other systems are currently affected.

Earlier on Friday, Windsor police reported long delays at both Canada-U.S. border crossings at the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Current wait times at the Ambassador Bridge crossing and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel currently stand at 30-40 minutes due to delays.

British Columbia health authorities say the disruption affected its networks and computers across all systems. The five regional authorities all have notices on their websites, saying they have implemented contingency plans to ensure health-care services remain operational.

Toronto's University Health Network says the outage is affecting some of its systems, but clinical activity at its hospitals is continuing as scheduled. However, it warns that some patients may experience delays.

Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) also said some of its operations were affected but that all of its hospitals "are safe and remain open" including Hamilton General Hospital. HHS said some non-urgent appointments and procedures may be delayed and that it would be contacting those people who are affected.

The outage also affected the availability of some health-care services in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to a statement from N.L. Health Services.

Health-care provider Dynacare shared an update saying that as of 1 p.m. PST, they would be opening their B.C. locations, but that their Quebec, Ontario and some Manitoba locations remain shuttered.

Banks in Canada were "reviewing the situation based on updates from their technology partners," a spokeswoman for the Canadian Bankers Association said.

"Any current impacts on banking services would be temporary," Maggie Cheung said in a statement.

TD Canada is the only major Canadian bank that shared a statement that their services were impacted by the global outage, as customers reported problems online, such as with direct deposits.


To see how the global IT outage impacted Canadians throughout Friday, scroll below to see our Yahoo Canada live blog.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER16 updates
  • Canadian health provider Dynacare reopens locations in B.C.

    In an update shared to X on Friday afternoon, Canadian health care provider Dynacare shared their British Columbia locations will be reopening doors as of 1 p.m. PST.

    Locations across Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba remain shuttered, with the provider saying "we are working to reopen as soon as possible" in an update to their site.

    Dynacare (formerly Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories) is one of Canada’s largest, most established health solutions companies with a history spanning more than 50 years.

    The health network provides services like collection and transportation of specimens, accurate testing, such as bloodwork, and prompt reporting of results to patients, healthcare professionals, hospitals, corporate clients and government agencies across Canada.

  • Tech outage recovery could take days, Canadian cybersecurity expert says

    In an interview with CBC News, Fredericton-based cybersecurity expert David Shipley warned it may take days for some organizations to fully recover from the outage. In addition, widespread global disruptions to airlines often take days to unclog.

    He says the outage is likely the biggest disruption seen globally in over 20 years. Shipley says the outage is the digital equivalent of "the airbag in your car that you have to protect you from bad things going off unexpectedly while you're driving."

    Fredericton-based cybersecurity expert David Shipley
    Fredericton-based cybersecurity expert David Shipley (Courtesy: CBC)

    He said CrowdStrike is a major anti-malware and anti-hacking tool used by some of the biggest organizations in the world, including Microsoft, and it essentially had a bad update.

    "The irony shouldn't be lost on anyone, nor should the sobering fact that had this actually been malicious, it would be even worse than what we're experiencing right now," he said.

  • Canada Child Benefit payments may be delayed by global IT outage, feds warn

    The Canada Revenue Agency started sending out Canada Child Benefit (CCB) payments on July 19, but after some recipients said they had not received their deposit, the federal government posted a warning that payments may be delayed as a result of the worldwide IT outage.

    Minister of National Revenue Marie-Claude Bibeau took to social media issuing reassurance that the federal government is aware of "potential challenges some banks may encounter in delivering the payments" and will work with the banks to "ensure seamless transactions."

  • 'Malicious actors' attempting to exploit tech outage. What to know

    scammer on a laptop
    "The Cyber Centre has received reports that threat actors are using this incident for the purpose of phishing," said the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security in a press release.

    Malicious actors are attempted to exploit the tech outage by means of phishing emails, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security warns.

    Emails purporting to come from CrowdStrike have tried to lure users into downloading malicious files, Sami Khoury, the head of the centre, tells CBC News. Users affected by the outage who are eager to restore services need to be "extremely wary" and verify the provenance of any communications before clicking any links or downloading files, he said.

    The Cyber Centre recommends organizations reinforce to employees to only trust recommended sources and to not click links on untrusted or questionable emails.

    Click here for more tips to keep yourself and your data safe.

  • Porter Airlines resuming operations amid IT outage

    In an update shared Friday afternoon, Porter Airlines announced operations are resuming in the wake of the global tech outage that shuttered operations nationwide earlier in the day.

    "The website will be restored when all systems are back online and automated passenger rebooking has begun," reads a statement shared by the airline.

    As systems come online, the airline urges passengers to check their current flight status on http://flyporter.com or via the mobile app.

  • 'A fix has been deployed': CrowdStrike working to resolve tech outage

    As people worldwide reel from the impacts stemming from a tech outage as a result of a faulty update by CrowdStrike, the issue has been identified and a fix deployed, the company writes in a statement.

    "We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up," the statement reads.

    FILE PHOTO: George Kurtz, president CEO and Co-Founder at CrowdStrike speaks at the WSJTECH live conference in Laguna Beach, California, U.S. October 21, 2019.    REUTERS/ Mike Blake/File Photo
    George Kurtz, president CEO and Co-Founder at CrowdStrike speaks at the WSJTECH live conference in Laguna Beach, California. REUTERS/ Mike Blake/File Photo

    In their latest statement, CrowdStrike also provided additional information on the issue, and workaround steps organizations can take.

  • Saskatoon transit, Sask. Health Authority impacted by global IT outage

    The massive IT outage that's wreaking havoc all over the world hasn't had a huge impact in Saskatchewan, but a few of Saskatoon's public services are reporting issues.

    While Saskatoon Transit and Access Transit are still operating, a statement issued on X says both services are experiencing issues with their phone lines.

    The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is also reporting telecommunication issues, as its healthline 811 was unavailable for several hours on Friday morning. Healthline services have since been restored.

    "At this time patients can continue to access emergency or acute care services delivered in SHA facilities," the authority shared with the CBC.

    Click here to read more.

  • TD Bank Canada customers impacted by global IT outage

    TD Bank Canada customers began reporting issues early Friday morning. The bank issued an online statement in the afternoon stating that they were impacted by the tech outage.

    "TD has been impacted by the global technology disruption that has affected organizations around the world. Teams are working hard to restore digital systems. TD customers can visit Stores or ATMs," the bank shared in an update to their site.

    Earlier in the day, social media users turned to the X platform as no update had been shared. Many are reporting that the tech outage is impacting direct deposit transactions.

    Another user is reporting that the bank's phone lines are closed as well.

  • One major Canadian telecommunications carrier impacted by IT outage

    At least one major Canadian telecommunications carrier said the outage had affected its operations.

    A spokeswoman for Telus said some of its employees were unable to access "the tools and systems necessary to support our customers." The company was working with "the utmost urgency" to get the systems working again, she said.

    Bell and Rogers, two of the other major carriers, are both reporting that their networks are unaffected.

  • Atlantic Canada airports impacted by global IT outage, but situation is improving

    The Halifax International Airport Authority says its online flight status tool is not up to date and that those flying today should contact their airline directly instead to check flight status. (Anjuli Patil/CBC - image credit)
    The Halifax International Airport Authority says its online flight status tool is not up to date and that those flying today should contact their airline directly instead to check flight status. (Anjuli Patil/CBC - image credit)

    With Porter Airlines cancelling all of its flights until 3 p.m. E.T., several airports in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are feeling the impact of today's unprecedented global IT outage.

    In N.B., both the Moncton and Fredericton airports are currently impacted by Porter's cancelled flights, but Courtney Burns, CEO of the Greater Moncton International Airport Authority, is urging passengers of all airlines to be prepared for delays.

    "Our best advice for passengers today is to check the status of their flight online, directly with their airline," Burns shared with the CBC.

    "When coming to the airport, they can anticipate it may take a bit longer than it typically would to get checked into their flight at an airline counter — that may impact more than just our Porter airline passengers."

    Click here for more on airport delays in N.B.

    It's a similar scene over in Nova Scotia, where there are disruptions, including Porter and several other in U.S. airlines.

    However, things seem to be improving in Halifax, as airport officials are reporting the online flight status board, which had been plagued with issues all morning, is up and running again. Yet, despite the positive update, travellers are still being urged to check on the status of their flights directly with their airline.

    Click here for more on airport delays in Nova Scotia.

  • Border crossings in Windsor experience delays due to global IT outage

    Windsor police are continuing to warn Canadians of delays at both the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel amid the global IT outage.

  • Some health networks having issues, as other emergency services largely unaffected

    Some health networks in Canada turned to social media to update patients in the wake of the ongoing IT outage. Here are some major hospitals and health networks across the country that have been impacted.

    Ontario

    The University Health Network (UHN), which includes several hospitals and clinics in Ontario such as Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital, announced on Friday that it was affected by the outage.

    CHEO, the children's hospital in Ottawa, said it's still providing services but has had to find workarounds where needed.

    "We do not anticipate any impact on our services offered to children and their families today," the hospital wrote in a statement.

    The Queensway Carleton Hospital said it was also impacted overnight, but its health record system has since been restored and surgeries and appointments aren't impacted.

    Likewise Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria, Ont., said it had faced minor disruptions but that the situation was improving.

    Meanwhile, the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa said all its systems are functioning and appointments are happening as normal.

    Ottawa police, paramedics and firefighters all told CBC they're unaware of any problems due to the outage.

    Newfoundland

    In an update shared Friday morning, NL Health Services announced they too were impacted by the global IT outage.

    "NL Health Services has implemented contingency plans and is focused on the delivery of emergency care as we work with our global partners to resolve the outage," the network shared in a statement.

    British Columbia

    Vancouver Coast Health, which encompasses numerous health networks in British Columbia, including Mount St. Joseph Hospital and St. Paul’s Hospital, reported being affected by the outage.

    Manitoba

    On the Dyncare website, it states, “Global IT issues are impacting Dynacare systems. All Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia locations are closed. We are working to reopen as soon as possible."

  • Vote: Have you been impacted by the Global IT outage?

  • Porter flights cancelled as Toronto hit by IT issue

    People waiti at Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto on Friday, July 19, 2024. Porter Airlines suspended flights until at least noon as a global tech outage affected flights at the airline. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
    People waiting at Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto on Friday, July 19, 2024. Porter Airlines suspended flights until at least noon as a global tech outage affected flights at the airline. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

    Porter Airlines has cancelled all of its flights until at least 3 p.m. E.T. today in the wake of the global technology outage.

    Porter announced it is working on a plan for its passengers. You can find more information here.

    "Passengers cannot be rebooked while systems are offline. The rebooking process will take a period of time, with new flights confirmed over a number of days due to high passenger volume," Porter said in a statement.

    "Further delays and cancellations are possible."

    Porter's not the only airline that may be affected. A spokesperson from Toronto's Pearson Airport told CBC News the impacts varied "airline to airline," with Air Canada, Westjet, Sunwing and Flair's flights on track but several American carriers seeing disruptions.

    "We are continuing to work with our airline partners as the global IT outage impacts some airlines. Travellers may notice the terminals are busier than normal this morning as we anticipate connecting 135,000 passengers today," Pearson said in a statement.

  • Canadians react to unprecedented global internet outage

    The global IT outage that has heavily affected airlines, banks and media outlets around the world has made an impact on many Canadians. As is tradition, Canadians have taken to X (formerly known as Twitter) to voice their concerns and displeasure of this massive internet outage.

    While many Canadians have been impacted by today's events, others haven't seen a significant impact at all.

  • Global IT outage hits Canada: What we know so far

    Here's what we have confirmed is impacted in Canada:

    • Toronto Pearson International Airport and Montréal–Trudeau International Airport both said the outage could lead to flight delays and cancellations.

    • Porter Airlines said it was cancelling its flights until 3 p.m. E.T. due to the outage.

    • University Health Network, one of Canada's largest hospital networks, said some of its systems had been affected by the outage.

    • The Canada Border Services Agency said it had experienced a partial systems outage of its telephone reporting system, primarily used by small aircraft passengers and boaters, that had since been resolved.

    • Windsor police reported long delays at both the Canada-United States border crossings at the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel.

    • Banks in Canada were "reviewing the situation based on updates from their technology partners," a spokeswoman for the Canadian Bankers Association said.

    • The government of Newfoundland and Labrador advised "users of its digital platforms" of possible service disruptions.