Programs Group

Profile

Assistant Deputy Minister: Stephanie Hébert

Size: 327 employees (308 in the National Capital Region and 19 in the regions)

Directorates:

• Air, Marine and Environmental Programs;
• Indigenous Relations and Navigation Protection Program;
• Innovation Centre; and
• Navigation Protection Program.

Covid-19 Response

Airport Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) - Enhancement

• The Airports Capital Assistance Program (ACAP) is a long-standing Government of Canada program that normally provides funding of $38 million per year to support safety-related capital investments at our country’s smaller passenger airports.
• In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement, the Government announced temporary enhancements to the Airports Capital Assistance Program, to support airports in their recovery from the impacts of COVID-19:
  • First was the injection of an additional $186 million in funding to be spread equally over 2021-22 and 2022-23;
  • Second was an increase in the minimum federal cost-share to 50% for the same period; and
  • Third is that for 2021-22 and 2022-23 previously ineligible federally-owned airports with traffic of less than one million passengers per year were granted temporary eligibility for Airports Capital Assistance Program funding.

Airport Critical Infrastructure Program (ACIP) (Including Bio-security element)

• Financial assistance of up to $486.9 million over 5 years for Canada’s larger airports to support critical infrastructure investments related to safety, security, mass transit.
• Additional financial assistance of up to $81.6 million to Canada’s larger airports to establish testing and screening infrastructure for COVID-19 and its variants to enhance biosecurity and support the restart of the air sector.

Airport Relief Fund (ARF):

• Financial assistance of up to $64.8 million in 2021-22 to support airport authorities managing the financial impact of reduced air travel. This Fund targeted airports with revenues less than $250 million dollars in 2019 to help mitigate the risk of airport insolvency and help these airports avoid default on debt payments as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Remote Air Service Program (RASP):

• In September 2020, Transport Canada (TC) launched the RASP, providing up to $174.3M (including $173.1M in contribution funding) over the course of 18 months to support continued air services to remote communities. Funding flows through bilateral agreements with Provinces, Territories (PTs) and a Regional Indigenous Government for Labrador, who have also been encouraged to complement the federal support provided.

Rent Relief

• National Airports System (NAS) airport authorities pay rent to the Crown based on their gross revenues.  On March 31st, in response to the drastic decline in air traffic and the corresponding impact on airport revenues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government announced a decision to waive airport rent from March to December 2020.  Equivalent relief for the Toronto Billy Bishop Airport was also announced.
• In the 2020 Fall Economic Statement (FES), the Government announced further support for NAS airports and Toronto Billy Bishop Airport as follows:
  • Rent waiver for small airport authorities (annual passenger volumes less than 1 million) for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 lease years.
  • Rent waiver for medium airport authorities (annual passenger volumes between one and ten million) for the 2021 lease year.
  • Rent deferral for the large airports (annual passenger volumes over 10 million) for the 2021 lease year, with repayment over a ten year period beginning in 2024.
• TC Programs has worked with each of the NAS airport authorities and Ports Toronto, the operator of Billy Bishop Airport, to make the necessary amendments to the NAS Ground Leases and Ports Toronto’s Letters Patent in order to implement both the previously announced 2020 rent waiver and the FES rent relief measures.

Other Programs Topics

PFAS

• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide, including certain foams used at Canadian airports for fire-fighting training. There is a global concern regarding exposure to PFAS and the potential environmental and human health impacts.  
• TC is continuing to implement its PFAS Strategy by taking proactive actions, such as sampling for the presence of PFAS at airports, to better understand the impacts of PFAS and to protect the health of Canadians and the environment.  

Impact Assessment of Major Projects

• TC plays a key role in the review of major resource and infrastructure projects subject to the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012), and northern regimes.
• As a member of Cabinet, the Minister of Transport is expected to be involved in decision-making on major projects as the need arises following a determination of significant adverse effects by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Indigenous Relations & Navigation Protection

• Provide leadership in overseeing the implementation of strategic departmental approaches on Indigenous affairs, including consultation and engagement, policy and treaty analysis, as well as training and awareness, ensuring consistent approaches are applied nationally both at HQ and in the regions in TC policy, regulatory and program development and implementation.
• Ensure Canadian waterways and coasts are protected from safety, security and environmental hazards by administering the Navigation Protection Program and addressing Vessels of Concern

The Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program

• The Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program, announced on May 1, 2019, with a three-year duration, aims to reduce the higher upfront costs associated with purchasing and leasing program-eligible new light-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by providing point-of-sale incentives to Canadians and Canadian businesses.  The adoption of ZEVs by Canadians and Canadian businesses contributes to a cleaner transportation system.

• The iZEV Program provides Canadians and Canadian businesses with incentives of up to $5,000 when purchasing or leasing eligible new ZEVs (including plug-in hybrids). As of June 30, 2021, over 97,000 Canadians and Canadian businesses have received an incentive under the program.