by Aviation Safety Policy and Intelligence, Civil Aviation, Transport Canada
During the 2020 Canadian Aviation Safety Collaboration Forum, aviation stakeholders agreed to work with Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) on the development of a proof of concept for the joint management of safety risks in the Canadian aviation system. In considering that airlines (CAR Subpart 705) are required to have risk management processes as part of their Safety Management System (SMS), the Collaborative Analysis Group (CAG) proof of concept would focus on airline operations and begin working with airline operators to identify, prioritize and work together to mitigate safety risks within Canada’s Air Transportation System.
In April 2022, the TCCA/Industry CAG was launched with the creation of the CAG Steering Committee, responsible for proactively coordinating the group’s safety risk management activities.
Over the past few years, the 705 CAG Steering Committee has met frequently as it progressed through each step of its six-step safety risk management process. The experience has contributed to strengthening aviation safety through stakeholder engagement, informed decision-making and the sharing of knowledge and experience.
Undertaking efforts in the CAG has been a shared commitment built upon trust and transparency between industry and regulator stakeholders where safety intelligence is shared, when possible, enabling more responsive actions facing Canada’s aviation community.
Furthermore, the CAG is a key component of Canada’s State Safety Program (SSP) and supports Canada’s compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Annex 19 Safety Risk Management standards and recommended practices. CAG efforts also align with the safety collaboration and shared objectives in the Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP).
The implementation of CAGs is a gradual process; the concept has the potential to be extended to other sectors within Canada. Furthermore, TCCA is committed to continuing to work diligently with the aviation community to establish an environment conducive to sharing aviation safety intelligence, data analysis and mitigations. Cultivating a healthy, robust and positive safety culture, consistently improving aviation safety and sharing best practices are all part of the journey. We are deeply committed to the CAG and look forward to enhancing safety within the aviation community.
For more information and updates, we invite you to visit the newly launched CAG Web site. Here, you'll find information about this partnership, ongoing initiatives and the group's overarching goals.