Brussels attacks prompt Canadian police to activate multi-agency security response

Canadian airlines and airport authoritiesare trying to minimizedisruptions to domestic air travel while police services in this country step up security, in the wake of three deadly bomb blasts in Brussels that killed more than 30 people.

Two explosions tore through the Zaventemairport departures hall at around 8 a.m. Belgian time. Officials evacuated the airport and grounded all flights. Anotherblast shook a metro station in the Belgian capital.

Meantime, Toronto police chief Mark Saunders told reporters Tuesday that the attacks triggered a high-level security plan in Canada.

"Whenever there's an issue that happens anywhere in the world that may have an impact on the city of Toronto, we have a machine that we turn on," he said.

"It's a multi-agency machine. Wework with the RCMP,with the OPP. Wework with CSIS, we work with the GTA law enforcement agencies and we have a plan in place for that."

People flying through Toronto's Pearson airport experienced few delays, although authorities cancelled four direct flights to Brussels.

"Normal operations at Toronto Pearson are underway," read a statement on theinternational airport's website Tuesday morning.

The cancelled flights between Toronto andBrussels includedsingle flights from Etihad Airways andJet Airways and two flights from Brussels Airlines.

Air Canada published a short statement on Twitter sayingits staff are "deeply saddened" by the attacks.. The airline cancelled its lone direct flight to Brussels out of Montreal on Tuesday, and announced all of Tuesday night's flights to and from Brussels would also be cancelled. Affected travelers will not be chargedfees to change flights.

People whobooked to fly to Brussels Tuesday mustcontact theirairline directly about changing flights. Belgian authorities alsoset up a hotline for people who hadfriends or family at the Brusselsairport: (0032) (0) 2/753 73 00.