A laser beam emanating from downtown Halifax was directed at a WestJet flight on its way Saturday to the Stanfield International airport on the city's outskirts, according to a Transport Canada website.

The Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System says the laser was directed at the plane for one to two minutes at around 10:20 p.m.

Halifax Regional Police say they are investigating the incident.

The Bombardier Dash 8 plane was on its way from St. John's and didn't take any evasive action to avoid the laser. No other aircraft were in the vicinity. No one was injured.

Transport Canada says lasers can distract pilots by creating a flare that can affect vision and cause temporary blindness.

If caught and convicted of shining a laser at an aircraft, under the Aeronautics Act a person can be fined up to $100,000, sentenced to up to five years in prison, or both.