Canada Immigration shares insights on living in Canada: Friends traveling from China via Toronto (especially those visiting for the first time) must pay close attention to checked baggage. When departing from Beijing, Air Canada staff explicitly stated that the baggage was checked through to PEI. I was a bit puzzled at the time—could checked baggage really go directly to PEI without customs clearance? Upon arriving in Toronto, I did not collect my checked baggage and proceeded directly through customs to the connection area. An Air Canada staff member repeatedly asked if I had checked baggage. I told him I did and that it was checked through to PEI. He then clearly informed me that I had to collect it for customs clearance and re-check it. I had to return to the restricted area, collect my luggage, and clear customs, nearly missing my flight to PEI. Therefore, I would like to offer a special reminder to those planning to travel: since the flight from Toronto to PEI is considered a domestic leg, you must collect all baggage and clear customs for any flight arriving from abroad before transferring to the domestic PEI leg.
If you do not collect your baggage in time, do not worry. Go to the Air Canada counter to have them issue a baggage retrieval request. Then, wait at the blue clock pillar in the arrivals hall (a large blue pillar with a clock on it) for the staff member wearing a badge. The staff will accompany you back into the restricted area to retrieve your baggage and escort you to the customs clearance area. After clearing customs, proceed to the domestic transfer counter to re-check your baggage for PEI.