Air transportation consultation

The Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) is consulting with industry stakeholders, experts and interested members of the public to update and clarify its regulations, guidelines and tools for air transportation so that they reflect how industry is evolving, avoid unnecessary administrative burden and allow for innovation.

The Agency has prepared a discussion paper that focuses on the following key issues:

• Charters and advance payment protection
• Licensing
  1. Code-sharing and wet-leasing
  2. Air insurance
  3. New business models and industry tools
  4. Excluded services
  5. Canadian ownership and control
• Compliance, monitoring and enforcement

We would like to hear your ideas and suggestions on how to address these issues. You are also welcome to identify any additional considerations or proposals related to the Air Transportation Regulations (ATR).

How to participate

Get engaged today by submitting your feedback at consultations@otc-cta.gc.ca. Sign language video submissions can also be uploaded. Submissions will be considered public documents and will be posted on the Agency's website.

The Agency plans to complete consultations on all elements of this initiative by summer 2017. It will review comments, release a summary document and draft updated regulations by the end of 2017. The regulations should be implemented in 2018.  

Reference materials

• Air transportation discussion paper
• News Release

Background

The Government of Canada’s national transportation policy is set out in the Canada Transportation Act.

Although it permits the market to largely self-regulate, it also acknowledges that regulation may be required to meet public objectives or in cases where parties are not served by effective competition.

The Agency delivers its air transportation mandate through the administration of the Act and the ATR. The Agency:

• issues licences to operate publicly available air services;
• administers an international charter regime, including permits and flight notifications;
• authorizes the use of aircraft and crew of other carriers;
• administers an air tariff regime and reviews air carrier tariffs for clarity, reasonableness and no undue discrimination;
• participates in bilateral air transport agreement negotiations;
• regulates air price advertising;
• inspects air carriers and facilities; and,
• facilitates and adjudicates certain air related complaints.