Strategic Plan 2011-2014

Message from the Chair and CEO

Guided by its 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, the Canadian Transportation Agency has worked hard to continue to strengthen its reputation as a trusted and respected tribunal and economic regulator.

I am proud to say that the Agency has made great strides in becoming a more efficient, forward-looking and client-focused organization. Our achievements over the last three years demonstrate the value of having a sound, clear and results-oriented strategic plan that is effectively implemented by a team of skilled and dedicated staff.

The Canadian and global transportation sector, the needs and expectations of transportation users and service providers, as well as our operating environment, continue to evolve and change – and the Agency needs to be able to respond to these changes.

Our 2011-2014 Strategic Plan builds on the investments we have made in building a solid foundation – a foundation which supports the effective delivery of our mandate through high quality service. This Plan will ensure that the Agency is well prepared to anticipate and deal with future challenges, more demanding expectations of clients and stakeholders, and to continue to perform at a high level.

While it is ambitious in scope, our new Strategic Plan will ensure that we make the most effective use of the resources available to the Agency. It takes into account key emerging issues and prepares the Agency to respond to them. It is informed by the feedback on our performance – and the insights gained – from our clients and stakeholders through our Client Satisfaction Surveys and extensive outreach efforts. And it is supported by a comprehensive set of performance measures and stretch targets covering the full range of services we provide.

Going forward, we will focus on three key priorities:

• Client services. We will invest in our relationships with our clients and stakeholders while continuing to build more effective, responsive and efficient dispute resolution processes;
• Regulatory regime renewal. We will modernize our suite of essential regulations and ensure that its administration is effective, streamlined and user-friendly; and
• People. We will act to maintain a sustainable, expert workforce and a supportive workplace, with the understanding that engaged, knowledgeable and competent employees are critical to our ability to provide quality services.

Each of these priorities is supported by detailed action plans that set out specific deliverables and timeframes. The Agency will continue to report on its progress in delivering on these priorities and on our performance against targets through our Annual Report, reports to federal central agencies, and our Web site.

By charting a clear course for the next three years, we will ensure that our collective efforts, as well as our financial and human resources, are effectively and fully focussed on realizing the goals we have set out to achieve in our Strategic Plan.

Geoff Hare
Chair and Chief Executive Officer

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Overview

• Who we are
• Our Vision and Mission
• Our Values

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Who we are

The Canadian Transportation Agency is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and economic regulator. It makes decisions and determinations on a wide range of matters involving air, rail and marine modes of transportation under the authority of Parliament, as set out in the Canada Transportation Act and other legislation.

Our mandate includes:

• Economic regulation, to provide approvals, issue licences, permits and certificates of fitness, and make decisions on a wide range of matters involving federal air, rail and marine transportation.
• Dispute resolution, to resolve complaints about federal transportation services, rates, fees and charges.
• Accessibility, to ensure Canada's national transportation system is accessible to all persons, particularly those with disabilities.

Most of our activities and workload are generated by demand from users and operators of the national transportation system. Providing effective, responsive services to users and operators is fundamental to Canada's economic and social prosperity – as well as to the efficient movement of goods and the connection of people across this vast country.

The Agency works collaboratively with many partners in order to help sustain a transportation system that works for all Canadians.

To carry out its mandate, five full-time Members are appointed by the Governor in Council. The Members are the quasi-judicial decision-makers within the Agency, and are responsible for rendering decisions and orders related to complaints or applications, as well as addressing other issues affecting Canada's national transportation system.

The Agency also relies on a skilled, multi-disciplinary team to realize its vision of an ever more efficient and accessible national transportation system.

These roles are underpinned by a wide range of internal functions – including legal services, secretariat, communications, finance, human resources and information technology – that support the needs of programs and other corporate responsibilities of the Agency.

In delivering services to clients and stakeholders, the Agency's Members and staff uphold the highest standards of efficiency, transparency, impartiality and fairness to all parties.

For more about how the Agency works, go to www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/mission-mandate.

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Our Vision and Mission

Our Vision is a competitive and accessible national transportation system that fulfills the needs of Canadians and the Canadian economy.

Our Mission is to be a respected and trusted tribunal and economic regulator through efficient dispute resolution and essential economic regulation.

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Our Values

Integrity

We act with honesty, fairness and transparency.

People

We treat people with fairness, courtesy and respect, and foster a cooperative, rewarding working environment.

Quality Service

We provide the highest quality services through expertise, professionalism and responsiveness.

Communication

We promote constructive and timely exchange of views and information.

Innovation

We commit to creative thinking as the driving force to achieve continuous improvement.

Accountability

We take full responsibility for our obligations and commitments.

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Operating Environment

The environment within which the Agency now operates has changed substantially since its last strategic planning exercise was conducted in 2008.

There are several issues – both emerging and existing ones that have become more critical – that our organization must respond to in its planning horizon.

The Agency must operate within what is an increasingly complex and fast-paced environment. It must also demonstrate flexibility in the face of emerging and existing issues that will require its focussed attention and action over the course of its 2011-2014 Strategic Plan.

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Evolution of industry and policy

The Canadian transportation industry and policy environment have evolved significantly. For instance:

• An historic and comprehensive air transport agreement was signed with the European Union and its 27 member states, including several countries with which Canada did not previously have bilateral air agreements;
• A number of air charter operators and airlines ceased operations, citing the difficult economic context. Similarly, passenger traffic was down substantially in 2008 and 2009, before beginning to return to pre-recession levels in 2010;
• Growing sensitivity to the needs of travellers with disabilities has resulted in some airlines, ferry operators and passenger transportation terminals making significant progress in offering safer, more convenient travel by enhancing pre-travel communications or onboard and terminal accessibility; and
• A number of recommendations were proposed to improve the efficiency of the rail freight system to support Canada's economic activity. The Agency is well positioned to support these industry recommendations by broadening the spectrum of dispute resolution methods it offers to shippers, railways and other parties, such as alternative and commercial dispute resolution mechanisms.

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Regulatory renewal

Another key factor is the evolution of how regulations are administered. Transportation policy, stakeholder expectations for ever-greater transparency and consistency, overall government direction for streamlining the regulatory framework and our experience over the years in administering regulatory responsibilities all point to a need to review and renew the regulatory regime administered by the Agency.

It is with these factors in mind that we strive to better fulfill our mandate by:

• Developing new service delivery mechanisms to serve our clients and stakeholders more effectively;
• Streamlining regulatory requirements; and
• Communicating Agency expectations more effectively.

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Technological change

Although Canadians and government alike face the challenge of keeping up with the rapid pace of technological change, such advances can also present new opportunities. Over the past several years, organizations have used new technologies to improve their interaction with their clients and stakeholders. Our own clients and stakeholders also expect that we too will leverage technology to enhance our service delivery and our communications outreach.

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Public service environment

In addition, the entire public service of Canada is faced with the challenge of simultaneously enhancing services to Canadians and responding to demographic shifts within a context of fiscal restraint. In his 2010-2011 Public Service Renewal Action Plan, the Clerk of the Privy Council states that, "The current context of fiscal restraint makes renewal even more critical for the Public Service. Better planning, targeted recruitment, employee development, and continual improvements to our workplace are all required for us to become more efficient while strengthening our capacity to respond to the challenges facing Canada both domestically and globally. We must remain dynamic and relevant in our complex and unpredictable world."

The Clerk of the Privy Council's Plan also exhorts public service organizations to implement modern work environments where:

• New technologies are embraced;
• There is a focus on innovation;
• Rules and policies are streamlined; and
• Risk is rigorously managed.

Over the next three years, the Agency will need to respond to these challenges and expectations in a context of growing fiscal restraint. This will require an increased focus on managing within limited resources and making strategic choices about where and how we will use these resources.

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Building on three years of success

The Agency has largely achieved the objectives identified in its 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, and is well positioned to build upon these accomplishments.

Key to these successes was the adoption of a new organizational structure that recognized the Agency's two distinct business lines: administering economic regulation and addressing complaints through dispute resolution. This new structure has permitted us to realize many benefits in terms of better workload management and collaboration throughout the Agency.

Among its major corporate achievements in the key area of dispute resolution, the Agency:

• Successfully eliminated a significant backlog of cases to be adjudicated;
• Introduced revised case management policies to better manage and track the process of case files, thereby increasing work efficiency and promoting best practices; and
• Expanded the Agency's role in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including facilitation and mediation.

Where key regulatory initiatives are concerned, in addition to significantly streamlining its regulatory approval procedures, the Agency:

• Made an important adjustment to the Western Grain Revenue Cap calculation to better reflect changes to industry costs;
• Worked closely with Transport Canada and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade towards a resolution of a Canada-U.S. dispute involving professional sports team air charters;
• Engaged in consultations on updating and renewing its regulations, such as the Air Transportation Regulations, the railway cost of capital methodology, interswitching rates and limited distribution tariffs; and
• Initiated the modernization of its regulatory regime.

Over the past three years, the Agency has also worked hard to strengthen its relationships with clients, stakeholders and partners. For example, in addition to implementing a number of new mechanisms to improve external communications and dialogue, the Agency:

• Implemented a client-centred service delivery model to better respond to inquiries from clients, stakeholders and the general public;
• Produced a number of publications to assist Canadians in resolving disputes – such as Rail Noise and Vibration Complaints: Working together towards solutions – and to help Canadians travel with ease – such as Take Charge of your Travel, a guide for persons with disabilities;
• Redesigned its corporate Web site to include enriched information and improved access to Agency services.

Finally, we continued to implement knowledge transfer projects, recruitment initiatives and training and developmental opportunities for staff. We also launched a new intranet to provide more useful, current information and essential work tools to employees.

Clients: Transportation users and industry service providers that are parties to a dispute (e.g. air travellers and Canadian and foreign air carriers; rail shippers and railway companies, marine shippers and Canadian ship owners, operators and pilotage authorities; urban passenger service providers; persons with disabilities)

Stakeholders: Air, rail and marine industry parties that are regulated by the Agency or whose interests are directly affected by the regulations administered by the Agency (e.g. domestic and foreign air carriers, federal railways, marine shippers and Canadian ship owners and operators)

Partners: Other departments or agencies involved in the national transportation system (e.g. Transport Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, provincial governments, industry associations)

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Acting on client feedback

To gauge the Agency's success as a client-centred organization, the Agency developed and implemented a comprehensive, multi-year client satisfaction survey program, which generated significant feedback from transportation service providers and users. This ongoing collection of feedback on our services, relationships and performance is part of our process for continuous improvement, and has proved invaluable in shaping the Agency's priorities for 2011-2014.

Feedback has enabled the Agency to develop a better understanding of the responsiveness and quality of its services and processes, identify areas and priorities for improvement, and chart progress in making them clearer, simpler and more effective.

"Good, smart people who do their best to balance private and public interests."
- Industry client - 

Agency staff and services

Overall, key stakeholders are positive about Agency staff and processes. The Agency is described as an institution that demonstrates an "open willingness to address issues and find resolution." Agency personnel received an extremely positive assessment from those they interact with on a day-to-day basis, and are widely perceived as approachable, helpful and flexible.

Clients are also positive about all service attributes, from ease of access to the courteousness of Agency staff. In fact, regardless of the nature of their transactions, two in three clients are satisfied with the overall quality of service provided by the Agency.

Alternative dispute resolution

Clients enthusiastically embrace the Agency's alternative dispute resolution processes and encourage us to promote the use of informal, alternative approaches to dispute resolution such as mediation and facilitation.

Corporate memory and knowledge transfer

A perceived loss of institutional memory due to retirements and staff turnover is a concern for our clients and stakeholders, who pinpoint it as an issue the Agency should endeavour to address proactively.

Clients and stakeholders support the Agency's efforts to lessen the impact of this demographic challenge.

Communication and dialogue

Industry and associations alike are generally satisfied with their level of dialogue with the Agency. However, they also indicated that more opportunities for dialogue, both formal and informal, could be beneficial.

While clients and stakeholders acknowledged Web site improvements, they expect further enhancements in terms of the organization, comprehensiveness and clarity of information provided.

Agency processes

Clients and stakeholders have indicated that more information is required to support a better understanding of Agency's processes.

They also want simpler and faster processes for issuance of decisions, including Web-based applications. As well, our clients are looking for alternative communication mechanisms, particularly for persons with disabilities.

Regulations and administration

For the most part, stakeholders see the Agency as an effective and efficient industry regulator; however, improvements could be made in updating regulations and improving the timeliness of regulated processes.

Major regulatory updates are already underway, including for the Air Transportation Regulations, Rail Interswitching Regulations, and Cost of Capital Methodology for railways.

The Agency has identified the modernization of its regulatory regime as a priority to maximize efficiency and effectiveness, taking into account modern service delivery channels.

For more on the results of the Agency's client satisfaction survey, go to www.cta.gc.ca/eng/surveys.

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Acting on employee feedback

The Agency has also made significant progress in addressing a number of work environment and human resources issues and needs. In addition to carefully reviewing the results of the 2008 Public Service Employment Survey, we have actively sought input from Agency employees. They have highlighted to us a number of areas for improvement.

In this new Strategic Plan, the Agency is responding to suggestions from staff on measures to sustain a respectful working environment, increase communications and dialogue, better orient new employees, improve conflict resolution, and enhance career development.

Resources have been assigned and key initiatives are now underway. Although results are already being achieved, the Agency will continue to pursue a course of sustained, co-ordinated and energetic action as part of its commitment to making the Agency an employer of choice.

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Setting a new direction

With its first multi-year Strategic Plan now at a close, the Agency will leverage the results achieved to help guide the organization's work in the coming three years.

Our 2011-2014 Strategic Plan has also been informed by what our clients, stakeholders and employees have told us we need to focus on to guide the organization's work over this period. The consultative processes we used to get input and advice were instrumental in developing our strategic priorities and supporting action plan.

The Agency's work over the next three years will allow it to keep pace with changes in the transportation sector, the evolution of transportation policy and the impact of developments in the global and Canadian economies.

As the economy recovers and grows, we anticipate increased demand from transportation system users and providers for both our regulatory and our formal and alternative dispute resolution services.

It is against this backdrop that the 2011-2014 Strategic Plan has been developed, and that the Agency identified the key issues that will require focussed attention during 2011-2014. Among these, the principal ones include:

• Providing high quality dispute resolution services that are fair, responsive, timely and meet the needs of clients;
• Further modernizing the Agency's regulatory regime and its administration, including non-regulatory instruments such as guidelines and codes of practice;
• Ensuring that the Agency strengthens recruitment, retention and knowledge transfer strategies to maintain and develop qualified and competent staff; and
• Adapting to the federal government's fiscal environment.

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Moving forward

The following pages set out our new strategic priorities, actions and desired results, which together will support the Agency's vision and ensure that our activities:

• Reflect our values;
• Align with government policies and priorities;
• Respond to the changing needs and expectations of our clients and stakeholders; and
• Affirm the Agency's mission as a respected and trusted tribunal and economic regulator.

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Strategic Priorities

The Agency will pursue three strategic priorities over the next three years.

• A key to the Agency's successful future is high quality client service.
  
  By improving and modernizing our services, the Agency will better meet the needs of our clients. As well, by being aware of our constantly changing environment, we will be able to anticipate changes and proactively respond to our clients' changing requirements.
• The Agency's ability to fulfill its vision is dependent on an effective and efficient regulatory regime that is responsive to the Canadian transportation industry while serving the interests of Canadians.

  We are committed to reviewing and renewing the regulatory regime and how it is administered in order to be responsive to the ever-changing reality of the Canadian transportation system and remain aligned with government priorities.

• Ultimately, the Agency's ability to remain an effective tribunal and economic regulator rests on the knowledge, skills and dedication of its people.

  In an environment where there are significant demographic challenges, we will continue to sustain and build the Agency's knowledge base through effective recruitment and development. We are committed to continuing to invest in our most important asset: our people.

Overview of Strategic Priorities and Outcomes

Client Service

Our dispute resolution services are high quality and our clients are well informed and served in a responsive and timely manner.

Regulatory Regime Renewal

Our regulatory and non-regulatory approaches and their administration are up-to-date, well understood and delivered effectively and efficiently.

People

Our employees are engaged, knowledgeable, respected and provide excellent service.

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Client Service

The Agency has worked hard to develop and live up to its reputation as a service-oriented organization that continuously strives to be better. This commitment to quality service is not only reflected in our vision, mission and values, but also in our day-to-day interactions with our clients.

That being said, although overwhelmingly positive about the Agency's work, some of the feedback we have heard indicates we need to place a greater focus on improving the timeliness of our processes and services.

As a quasi-judicial tribunal tasked with rendering decisions on disputes between transportation service providers and their users, the Agency continues to implement service improvements to ensure decisions are timely, fair and transparent.

With the entrenchment of its mediation services in the Canada Transportation Act, the Agency created an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Services unit and developed guidelines to streamline its approach to dispute resolution into two separate processes: informal and formal.

The Agency will further its efforts to actively offer, promote and expand the use of ADR as a cost-effective and timely option for identifying issues and resolving disputes informally, reducing the need for formal adjudicative procedures.

In addition, we clearly recognize that maintaining and improving open communication is essential to ensuring that our clients are well informed of decisions and understand the diverse dispute resolution processes available to them.

The Agency is also committed to further measuring client satisfaction as a means to assess the effectiveness of its services and ensuring it is continuously improving to meet the needs of transportation users and providers.

Strategic Outcome

The Agency's dispute resolution services are high quality and clients are well informed and served in a fair, responsive and timely manner.

Objective 1: Quality Service

Our dispute resolution services are high quality.

Desired Result: Dispute resolution is timely and efficient, and provides effective options to clients.

Strategic Action 1: Improve case management practices and procedures.

Key Results

• Case management tools that enhance clarity and case management efficiencies.
• Streamlined processes and procedures to improve consistency and timeliness of informal and formal dispute resolution methods.

Deliverables

• Streamlined processing of formal cases through triaging and delegation of administrative issues to staff.
• Increased facilitation of railway noise and vibration and other cases.
• Suite of procedures, checklists, techniques and templates to enhance case management efficiencies.
• Enhanced processes for handling oral hearings, mediating complaints and arbitrating disputes.

Strategic Action 2: Introduce new and expanded client-oriented resources to facilitate access to and understanding of the Agency dispute resolution services.

Key Results

• A suite of dispute resolution guidelines, forms and processes to facilitate clients' access to and understanding of the Agency dispute resolution services.
• Enhanced access to the Agency dispute resolution services and information resources for persons with disabilities.
• Modernized and streamlined rules of procedure to facilitate timely and efficient resolution of disputes.
• Expanded client-oriented information resources that meet the evolving needs of transportation users and providers.

Deliverables

• Complaint guidelines and resource tools developed for:
  • air travel; 
  • mediation and arbitration; and
  • level of service and railway crossings.
• Revised Agency rules of procedure for disputes, including procedures designed for unrepresented parties.
• Enhanced online access to Agency dispute resolution services and related information resources on the Web site.
• Updated information such as the publication Fly Smart and topic-specific tools for passengers travelling by air (e.g. baggage, flight disruptions).
• Release of Agency methodology for assessing railway noise.

Strategic Action 3: Expand the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution and actively promote it.

Key Results

• New Agency Arbitration process to expand ADR options.
• A suite of ADR guidelines and other tools to improve clients' understanding of the Agency ADR program.
• ADR strategy and outreach plan to inform the clients.

Deliverables

• Development and implementation of arbitration manual, procedures and standards.
• New guidelines and code of practice for alternative dispute resolution.

Objective 2: Relationship Building

Our clients are well informed. We understand and are responsive to their needs.

Desired Result: Constructive and positive relations with our clients.

Strategic Action 1: Engage in proactive dialogue with clients to better understand their needs.

Key Results

• Regular consultations with advisory committees and industry associations.
• Active client outreach program to promote better understanding of the Canada Transportation Act and Agency processes.
• Ongoing two-way communication with clients to better understand their needs.

Deliverables

• Meetings and consultations with carriers, shippers, and industry associations on air travel, rail and marine issues through various mechanisms.
• Face-to-face and on-line consultation with the Agency's Accessibility Advisory Committee.
• Quarterly roundtables with the Agency's Technical Advisory Committee for Rail Noise and Vibration.

Strategic Action 2: Measure client satisfaction and program performance to identify opportunities for improvement and respond to clients' needs.

Key Results

• Comprehensive Client Satisfaction Survey program that measures client satisfaction with Agency dispute resolution services and identifies opportunities for improvement.
• Multi-modal consultative process on the accessibility of the federal transportation network.
• Integrate client feedback on Agency services, products, and responsiveness into performance assessment for continuous improvement.
• Set service performance standards, monitor progress and report to the clients. 

Deliverables

• Action plans developed based on feedback from client survey results and consultations.
• Updated Performance Measurement Framework for dispute resolution services.

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Regulatory Regime Renewal

The Agency is responsible for developing and administering regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to a wide range of matters involving federally-regulated air, rail and marine modes of transportation.

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

Feedback from our stakeholders indicates that they are looking to the Agency to update its regulations to reflect changing environments and stakeholder needs. A modernized regulatory regime – comprising essential regulation, guidelines, codes of practice and their administration – will more effectively align with the current transportation and government policy framework. It will also ultimately improve the transparency of the Agency's decision-making process, reduce the need for unnecessary applications, facilitate the processing of applications, and strengthen compliance.

The Agency also recognizes that there are as yet untapped opportunities to make effective use of information technologies to serve stakeholders in a more timely and efficient manner. Offering web-based services and streamlining business processes will position the Agency to better respond to stakeholder needs.

These efforts to renew the Agency's regulatory regime will require ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders, both formal and informal. Increased outreach efforts will contribute to:

• Effectively resolving issues;
• Enhancing understanding of and compliance with regulatory requirements; and
• Improving Agency awareness of stakeholder views, concerns and emerging issues.

Strategic Outcome

The Agency's regulatory and non-regulatory approaches and their administration are up-to-date, well understood and delivered effectively and efficiently.

Objective 1: Essential Regulatory Regime

The Agency's regulatory regime is modernized.

Desired Result: An efficient and transparent regulatory regime of essential regulation and non-regulatory approaches.

Strategic Action 1: Systematically review and update the Agency's regulations.

Key Results

• Modernized Air Transportation Regulations.
• Updated regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities.
• Rail and air regulations of the Agency are reviewed and amended to respond to government direction and the Cabinet Directive on Streamlining Regulations.

Deliverables

• Amendments to Parts I-VII of Air Transportation Regulations implemented.
• Amendments to Personnel Training Regulations implemented.
• Railway Costing Regulations reviewed.

Strategic Action 2: Develop and update non-regulatory approaches to achieving desired outcomes.

Key Results

• Interpretation notes providing stakeholders with better understanding of specific issues or topics.
• Guidelines providing stakeholders with the Agency's procedural and substantive approach for specific regulatory areas.
• Updated codes of practice for accessible transportation.

Deliverables

• Interpretation notes on various issues published, such as:
  • What is a publicly available air service;
  • Who is operating an air service;
  • Availability of terms and conditions at business offices of air carriers; and
  • The Revenue Cap Program.
• Agency Guidelines updated or developed on matters such as:
  • Net salvage value determinations of railway lines;
  • Extra-bilateral authorities for air carriers;
  • Small air terminals in order to address needs of persons with disabilities;
  • Public passenger service providers; and
  • Wet leases and code sharing for air carriers.
• Updated codes of practices for aircraft, ferry and rail passenger car accessibility.

Objective 2: Effective Administration

Our administration of regulatory responsibilities is streamlined.

Desired result: The administration of the regulatory regime is effective, efficient, transparent and responsive.

Strategic Action 1:  Streamline the Agency's regulatory administrative processes.

Key Results

• New e-service channels which improve services to Agency clients and serve as a catalyst to streamline Agency processes.
• Streamlined internal regulatory administrative processes.
• Application guidelines, forms and other resource tools to clearly communicate the Agency's administrative processes and essential information needs.

Deliverables

• Implementation of e-service channels for online delivery of regulatory services.
• Review and streamlining of regulatory applications, licensing and permitting processes.
• Updated railway cost of capital methodology developed.
• Guides on several issues updated, such as:
  • Schedule A railway crossings;
  • Road crossings for railways;
  • Air charters;
  • Domestic licences for air transportation;
  • How to file a tariff; and
  • Air services financial requirements.

Strategic Action 2: Enhance regulatory compliance through voluntary and non-voluntary means.

Key Results

• Enhanced air passenger and air carrier understanding of their rights and responsibilities.
• A risk-management approach for monitoring compliance.
• Work toward expanding the scope of the Designated Provisions Regulations to enable the use of Administrative Monetary Penalties for specific railway matters.

Deliverables

• Launch and promotion of a Sample Tariff for scheduled service air carriers.
• Terms and conditions of carriage of air carriers selling air services are available on their websites.
• Air carriers operating as part of the National Airports System have prominent signs indicating that their terms and conditions of carriage is available at their business office.
• Air carriers reflect the Montreal Convention in their Canadian tariff.
• Passenger carrier and terminal accessibility compliance reports on voluntary codes of practice and regulations.

Strategic Action 3:  Measure and monitor stakeholder satisfaction and program performance to identify opportunities for improvement.

Key Results

• Continuous two-way communication with stakeholders through consultations, outreach and engagement.
• Integrate stakeholder feedback on Agency services, products, and responsiveness into performance assessment for continuous improvement.

Deliverables

• Stakeholder feedback obtained through meetings and participation in industry events taken into consideration in the modernization and ongoing administration of the regulatory regime.
• Service performance standards monitored and reports, including course correction plans, prepared and disseminated.
• Stakeholder satisfaction with regulatory programs measured and analyzed.

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People

The Agency relies on the knowledge and skills of its employees to provide support to the adjudicative decision-making process and to maintain an effective and responsive regulatory framework.

Experienced, professional and talented people are key components of the Agency's commitment to further enhance its responsiveness to client and stakeholder needs and its reputation as a respected, trusted tribunal and economic regulator.

Like other federal government institutions, the Agency faces a demographic challenge posed by the retirement and turnover of its staff. Targeted recruitment initiatives, staff development and knowledge transfer are vital to ensure stakeholders and clients remain confident that Agency staff have the expertise and institutional memory to effectively deliver on their mandate.

With this in mind, we will continue to enhance our human resource management framework to support employees throughout their career at the Agency and in their broader career aspirations.

The Agency has also accepted recommendations from an internal employee-led working group established to provide advice to senior management on workplace improvements. Actions will be taken to implement recommendations regarding trust, communications and dialogue, conflict resolution, new employee orientation, training and career development.

This will help make the Agency an even better place to work, while maintaining and ultimately enhancing employee expertise in support of effective client service and regulatory renewal.

Strategic Outcome

The Agency's employees are engaged, knowledgeable, respected and provide excellent client service.

Objective 1: Sustainable Workforce

Our workforce is sustainable.

Desired Result: The Agency has the workforce to fulfill its mandate.

Strategic Action 1: Recruit and retain people with the skills and competencies required by the Agency.

Key Results

• Integrated planning to achieve workforce renewal.
• Targeted Agency Recruitment Strategy which meets short and long-term staffing requirements.

Deliverables

• Improved workforce planning processes.
• Targeted Agency recruitment strategy developed.

Objective 2: Supportive Workplace

Our workplace is supportive.

Desired Result: Our people are respected, engaged, and service focussed.

Strategic Action 1: Embed a workplace culture that promotes service quality and innovation.

Key Results

• Staff are engaged in reviewing and developing effective and efficient internal processes.
• Employees are proud of the quality service they provide to clients and stakeholders.
• Employee accomplishments are recognized.

Deliverables

• Mechanisms to encourage employee input on processes and innovation developed and implemented.
• New Agency recognition program implemented.

Strategic Action 2: Ensure ongoing communication and dialogue throughout the Agency.

Key Result

• Strengthened internal communication that promotes two-way dialogue.

Deliverables

• Internal communication activities in support of enhanced dialogue developed and implemented, such as:
  • Communications and Dialogue Wheel; and
  • Workplace Communications training.
• Updated Agency Governance Framework.

Strategic Action 3: Champion public service values and ethics and a climate of trust, integrity and respect.

Key Results

• A respectful workplace environment is promoted and nurtured.
• Employees treat each other with respect and when conflicts arise they are dealt with in a fair and timely manner.
• Agency adopts a Code of Conduct that reflects its values and ethics.
• Employee survey demonstrates improved employee engagement.

Deliverables

• Best practices in fostering a respectful workplace, including ongoing training, identified and implemented.
• Renewed Agency Informal Conflict Resolution System.
• Agency Code of Conduct developed and implemented.
• Employee engagement framework implemented.

Objective 3: Expert Workforce

Our workforce is expert.

Desired Result: Our people have the knowledge, tools and skills to carry out their work and develop their expertise. 

Strategic Action 1: Ensure our people have the knowledge and tools to carry out their work.

Key Results

• Documented institutional knowledge is accessible to employees.
• Employees have access to effective workplace tools and high quality training.
• Learning plans that provide employees with the training to support their development and career aspirations.

Deliverables

• Knowledge management strategy formalized.
• Agency learning strategy, including internal and external training opportunities, developed and implemented.

Strategic Action 2: Provide our people with professional development opportunities. 

Key Result

• Agency provides employees with a broad range of opportunities to develop and acquire expertise.

Deliverable

• Agency Developmental Assignment Program tailored to individual and Agency needs developed and implemented.

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Implementation Steps

The management team has focussed on creating clear priorities and operational initiatives that support the achievement of the Agency's vision, mission and strategic outcomes.

To this end, we commit to adopting the key attributes of high-performing organizations, namely:

• Strive for excellence;
• Confront challenges;
• Embrace change;
• Focus on future solutions through innovative thinking and actions; and
• Adopt new approaches for building the Agency's roadmap to the future.

To ensure we remain focussed on our strategic priorities, and that our efforts and resources are fully aligned with our Strategic Plan, Agency management will:

• Create an action plan that identifies key projects and initiatives the Agency will undertake to implement the Strategic Plan;
• Align our operational and information management and technology investment plans, staffing resources and budgets with the Strategic Plan;
• Measure our performance, review our progress and make adjustments where necessary to ensure we are achieving planned results; and
• Report annually on the implementation of our Strategic Plan.

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Measuring Our Performance

To measure progress towards providing quality service as well as timely decisions and determinations, the Agency will strive to achieve the following key performance targets between April 2011 and March 2014.

Ongoing monitoring and forecasting will help us assess where we are and whether adjustments are required.

In addition to these performance measures, the Agency reports on a wide range of metrics related to Human Resources Management in the Departmental Staffing Accountability Report. Other measures are generated through Client Satisfaction Surveys and the triennial Public Service Employee Survey.

Key Performance Targets

	Indicator	Target
Transparency	Percentage of formal decisions published on the Agency's Web site within 1 business day	100%
Effective mediation and facilitation	Percentage of disputes mediated within 30 days (when no extension is requested)	100%
	Percentage of air travel complaints facilitated within 90 days	80%
	Percentage of rail and accessibility disputes facilitated within 30 days	80%
Timely dispute resolution	Percentage of complex disputes resolved within 90 days (after pleadings are closed)	80%
	Average actual days to resolve all other disputes (except coasting trade)	120 days
	Percentage of disputed coasting trade applications (with offers) resolved within 90 days	80%
Timely regulatory determinations	Level of compliance with targeted regulatory and voluntary accessibility requirements	100%
	Percentage of air licences issued within 14 days (complete application)	90%
	Percentage of charter permits and amendments issued within 30 days of receipt of application	92%
	Percentage of coasting trade applications processed prior to commencement date (no objections)	95%
	Percentage of international code-sharing and wet lease authorities issued within 45 days	100%
	Percentage of rail determinations issued within 120 days	95%
Client satisfaction	Percentage of overall client service satisfaction	70%

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