SPEAKING NOTES
FOR
THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT,
THE HONOURABLE OMAR ALGHABRA
TO
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS STANDING COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES
REGARDING
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA ACTIONS TO REDUCE AIRPORT CONGESTION
OTTAWA, ONTARIO
August 19, 2022
6 MINUTES (735 Words)
Check Against Delivery
Good morning / afternoon. Bonjour.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for inviting me to speak with you today.
It’s my pleasure to join you and the honourable members once again.
I welcome this opportunity to highlight the many fronts on which the Government of Canada is working to reduce airport congestion and air travel delays.
I would like to begin by acknowledging that we’re gathered today on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Peoples.
I’m pleased to be joined today by representatives from Transport Canada:
- Michael Keenan; Deputy Minister of Transport
- Colin Stacey, Director General, Air Policy
- Aaron McCrorie, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety & Security
- Nicholas Robinson, Director Genera, Civil Aviation.
Mr. Chair, air passenger traffic in Canada has increased by close to 250 percent between January and August, and the numbers continue to climb. In comparison, the increase in the U.S. during the same period was 64 percent.
What’s more, these numbers have skyrocketed while the aviation industry is busy staffing up and training employees.
Although strong growth was anticipated, in the current labour market, it outstripped the ability of system operators to re-hire, hire, train and certify new employees at the pace required.
While airport congestion is a global problem, the Government of Canada is focused on helping the industry recover quickly, while ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for travellers.
Central to this goal, is the coordination and communication among the many different partners involved in the air travel system.
Their roles are varied and intertwined.
Transport Canada sets airport safety and security standards.
Airlines deal with areas such as flight plans, checking aircraft and ensuring passengers are following safety rules. They’re also mainly responsible for passenger baggage.
Airport operators provide the airport facilities and infrastructure that keep commercial air service moving.
The Canada Border Service Agency provides services that keep our borders safe.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is responsible for security screening.
NAV CANADA operates Canada's civil air navigation system and oversees the flow of air traffic in Canadian airspace.
The Public Health Agency of Canada provides health screening.
Each of these has an important role to play in the operation and regulation of Canada’s air sector, and their activities stretch beyond what I’ve just mentioned as examples.
If there are issues in one area, it affects other areas.
To that end, we’re working with airlines, airports, government agencies, and other partners to identify and remove bottlenecks and find ways to speed up and smooth out the process.
And while I admit we’re not where we want to be, and too many travellers are still experiencing delays, we have seen significant improvements in recent weeks.
For example, pre-board security screening wait times across the country are trending down.
Last week, most passengers – 86 percent – were screened within 15 minutes.
This was a two-percent improvement from the week before.
And the number of aircraft being held on the tarmac at Pearson – Canada’s busiest airport – is also down.
One week in May alone, more than 370 aircraft were held, but by the last week of July, that number had dropped to just 19 aircraft. That’s a decrease of over 94 percent in two months.
These improvements were possible in part due to the action we have taken with government agencies and industry, as well as increased staffing of key positions by airports, airlines, CBSA and CATSA.
Mr. Chair, I would like to take a moment to thank our partners across the aviation sector for working so tirelessly with us.
I’ve met regularly with senior leadership at Canada’s major airports and airlines to identify ways to build on our progress – as well as build for the future.
And Transport Canada officials are working with airports and airlines alongside CATSA, the Public Health Agency of Canada, CBSA, and NAV CANADA to address issues affecting travel.
Thanks to these joint efforts, things are moving in the right direction, but we know some passengers are still experiencing issues.
To be clear about travellers’ rights, the government has a robust set of regulations intended to protect Canadians when they travel by air. In many instances passengers are eligible for compensation in the event of delays or cancellations.
The Canadian Transportation Agency has developed an online information resource for travellers.
This guide answers many frequently asked travel questions and advises passengers of their rights if their flights are delayed or cancelled, or their baggage is lost, damaged, or delayed.
In closing, I want to stress that the Government of Canada is committed to working with our partners to reduce airport wait times and make air travel more efficient, while maintaining safety and security.
While we’re doing our best to improve air travel, and we’ve made significant progress, we know there’s more to do.
Mr. Chair, that concludes my opening remarks.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you. Merci.