The Saint John Airport will be hit hard by Air Canada cuts starting in September.

The airline is slashing three of its five daily routes serving the southern New Brunswick airport.

Two of three daily routes to Toronto will be eliminated, meaning travellers will no longer be able to fly to Toronto and back on the same day.

Air Canada is also cutting one of its two daily routes between Saint John and Montreal.

YSJ has been told the main driver for the changes is a national shortage of regional pilots.

It is unclear at this point how long the reduced schedule will be in effect.

Meanwhile, Fredericton is also losing one Air Canada route, while Moncton will not be impacted.

More to come.