Robert Deluce

The Deluce family has over 50 years of experience in the airline business with White River Air Services, norOntair, Austin Airways, Air Creebec, Air Ontario, Air Manitoba, Air Alliance and Canada 3000 Airlines.

In 1988, the Deluce family started Canada 3000, initially as a subsidiary of British airline Air 2000. After British control of Air 2000 was rejected by the Canadian government, the Deluce family bought Air 2000's interest in the new airline, (selling their remaining 25% of Air Ontario) and named it Canada 3000. Deluce became president and CEO of Canada 3000, a position he held until 1995. His brother Peter was also an executive with Canada 3000.

In 2001, Deluce with partners formed REGCO Holdings to set up a competing regional airline at Toronto's Island Airport. The airport, which was losing money for its operator, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) was seeking to expand its usage and increase revenues. Deluce proposed setting up a new airline using Bombardier turboprop aircraft to several cities within range of Toronto. The TPA, along with the City of Toronto government was then planning to build a new bridge to the island airport to facilitate the expansion. The bridge was cancelled by the City of Toronto and Deluce then sued the City and the Government of Canada, eventually settling out of court. Despite this, Deluce and the TPA continued to pursue the regional airline expansion plan. Regco purchased the terminal building at the airport being used by Air Canada Jazz and evicted them, freeing the space for his own airline. Porter Airlines launched in October 2006 with flights to Ottawa, Ontario and has expanded since. Porter flies to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, Timmins, Windsor, Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, New York City (Newark), Chicago (Midway), Boston (Logan), Washington (Dulles) and has seasonal flights to Mont Tremblant, Quebec; Burlington, Vermont; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

He is also the president and CEO of Deluce Capital Corporation of Toronto. He is a past director of the Arthritis & Autoimmunity Research Centre of University Health Network and Vector Aerospace Corporation.