Policy

Mandate:

The Policy Group is responsible for leading research and analysis, and providing advice to develop and support Transport Canada’s (TC) policy frameworks, funding programs, and regulatory regimes, as well as advancing and facilitating the government’s key priorities and commitments with a focus on the efficient and environmental elements of TC’s mandate.

In support of policy-making, program development and decision-making, the Policy Group:

• has responsibility for the economic marketplace frameworks in the air, surface (rail and road), and marine industries, as well as multi-modal, environmental, accessibility and innovation and digitalization policies and standards for the transportation system
• collects and analyzes data, and provides analysis and advice on transportation trends, system and supply chain performance, and stakeholder considerations
• provides advice and secretariat support for appointments, along with a stewardship function and strategic policy advice on governance and accountability matters related to the Transport portfolio
• coordinates and advances strategic and multi-modal policy analysis and advice for TC’s engagement on, for example: air transport agreements; international shipping; supply chain issues; intercity passenger rail; clean air and climate change; clean water; and adaptation to a changing climate
• provides advice and analysis on federal-provincial-territorial relations, and supports the federal co-chair of the intergovernmental transportation forum, the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety
• advances TC’s policy objectives and the interests of the Canadian transportation sector with key international partners, in international forums and through Canada’s trade agreement negotiations; supports the sharing of best practices to expand TC understanding of transportation system issues from a North American and global perspective
• undertakes investment and options analysis; performs market sounding and engagement activities; advises on strategic commercial decisions; leads outreach and engagement to potential project proponents; helps solicit, guide, evaluate and select potential proponents for funding programs (e.g., National Trade Corridors Fund); implements complex transactions; and supports large-scale projects
• coordinates strategic and horizontal initiatives in support of the Budget letters, and Gender-based Analysis Plus
• identifies how technology innovations and digitalization can offer transportation and mobility solutions and enhance the performance of the transportation supply chain, and works with stakeholders to assess policy and regulatory considerations as well as economic and social impacts
• provides policy coordination and advice on northern transportation issues and leads TC’s implementation of the Government’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, including engagement with northern partners
• provides analysis and advice on accessible transportation for persons with disabilities, and evaluates associated legislative and regulatory developments/requirements

Profile:

Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy Group: Serge Bijimine

A/ Associate Assistant Deputy Minister: Craig Hutton

Size: 374 employees

Directorates:

• Air Policy
• Crown Corporations and Portfolio Governance
• Environmental Policy
• International Relations, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Trade Policy
• Marine Policy
• Strategic Investments
• Strategic Policy and Innovation
• Surface Transportation Policy
• Transportation and Economic Analysis
• Strategic Planning and Integration
• Policy Community Partnerships Office

Air Policy

The Air Policy directorate develops policy frameworks and manages related issues affecting air transport in Canada, and supports the negotiation of international air agreements.  The group’s principal objective is to promote a healthy and competitive air transport industry, which includes airlines, airports and air navigation services providers, to ensure that Canadians have access to the air services they need. This objective recognizes the importance of air transport to other sectors in the Canadian economy and to Canada’s competitiveness abroad. Air Policy is also responsible for oversight and management of the Canadian Mission to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montréal.

Crown Corporation and Portfolio Governance

The Crown Corporation and Portfolio Governance directorate functions as a centre of expertise, providing information and advice on effective governance of the Crown corporations within the Transport portfolio. It serves as a primary point of contact to coordinate responses to issues facing a number of Crown corporations.  It also coordinates Ministerial and Governor in Council appointments for all organizations in the Minister's portfolio.  The Transport portfolio consists of TC and 54 organizations: 9 Crown corporations; 41 shared-governance organizations; and 4 administrative tribunals/agencies.

Environmental Policy

The Environmental Policy directorate supports the delivery of the Government of Canada’s environmental agenda by leading the development and implementation of environmental policies and regulations to reduce emissions and decarbonize all modes of transportation domestically and internationally, as well as provides policy oversight on related programming within the department (e.g., electric vehicle incentive programs). The directorate also leads efforts to reduce the impact of marine transportation activities on the marine environment, including at-risk whales, and supports teams across the department and broader transportation sector to adapt and strengthen resilience to climate change impacts.

International Relations, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Trade Policy

The International Relations, Intergovernmental Affairs, and Trade Policy directorate advances TC policy objectives and engagement as part of an integrated government-wide approach, supporting the international and intergovernmental activities of the Minister and senior officials. The directorate leads the negotiation of transport issues in Canada’s free trade and investment agreements, and provides policy advice to the department on trade agreement obligations and risks. Playing a leadership role in international policy, the directorate provides strategic, horizontal advice on international issues and priorities, the management of bilateral and multilateral relationships, and advancement of Canada’s foreign policy goals. The directorate plans, coordinates and delivers high-level international engagement. This includes policy, protocol, and logistics support, for the Minister, Parliamentary Secretary, DMs, and Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of Policy including their participation in meetings and events in Canada, abroad, and in virtual formats. Finally, the directorate is also responsible for providing advice and analysis on intergovernmental work related to transport priorities. It also supports the Minister as co-chair of the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety.

Marine Policy

The Marine Policy directorate is responsible for marine economic policy direction and advice, and develops, administers and implements domestic and international marine legislation, regulations, conventions and policies. The directorate has responsibility for provision of evidence-based advice on marketplace frameworks that promote a competitive and sustainable marine shipping system including those pertaining to the 17 Canada Port Authorities and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Marine Policy directorate also provides advice on emerging systemic issues and supports the department with economic considerations on various marine-related projects and asset management files in the department.

Strategic Investments

The Strategic Investments directorate provides expertise and leadership on the commercial components of large-scale investments and projects within TC. Areas of support include: financial analysis; due diligence of commercial contract terms; risk analysis; governance structure analysis; and transaction execution support.

Strategic Policy and Innovation

The Strategic Policy and Innovation directorate provides integrated policy leadership and direction through multimodal policy analysis, advice and research and serves a central role within the department on transportation innovation, northern transportation, accessibility, and supply chain and trade corridor issues and initiatives. Some of the directorate's responsibilities include: supporting the department’s work on supply chains and trade corridor issues and initiatives (i.e., National Supply Chain Task Force; National Supply Chain Strategy; and National Trade Corridors Fund strategic approaches and priorities); leading on horizontal policy analysis and advice related to the Canadian Transportation Agency; acting as policy lead on accessible transportation for persons with disabilities; leading TC’s inputs and assessments for federal budgets and Speeches from the Throne; and serving as TC’s Gender Based Analysis Plus Centre of Excellence and acts as Secretariat for TC’s ADM Policy Committee.

Surface Transportation Policy

The Surface Transportation Policy directorate aims to ensure that Canadians have an efficient and effective surface transportation system for the transportation of goods, passengers, and services – one that enables connectivity and efficient flows; promotes integration between modes; and leverages innovation. It aims to achieve these outcomes through legislative and policy initiatives that balance commercial and public interests through a social, economic, and sustainable lens, and through collaboration among stakeholders. The directorate's responsibilities include: ongoing work to enhance passenger rail services across Canada, including by supporting advancement of the High Frequency Rail (HFR) project led by the HFR group; ministerial support in fulfilling a statutory responsibility under the Canada Transportation Act for assessing proposed mergers and acquisitions transactions; and support in implementing the Canada-U.S preclearance treaty framework.

Transportation and Economic Analysis

Transportation and Economic Analysis (TEA) provides analysis of the impact of economic, transportation and societal trends on the performance and capacity of the Canadian transportation system and supply chains, and is responsible for data governance, collection and analysis. Primarily, TEA provides economic analysis, performance and capacity through monitoring/analyzing drivers of transportation and logistics demand, reports on the performance of the transportation system and the impacts of system disruptions, conducts analysis on key transportation topics and engages/validates with academia, industry, F/P/Ts and other stakeholders on opportunities/challenges for the transportation system. It also leads and facilitates use cases and visibility projects across the country to improve the transportation supply chain’s fluidity, resiliency and efficiency.

Strategic Planning and Integration

The Strategic Planning and Integration branch serves as the focal point for coordinating and integrating horizontal corporate issues across all of the Policy Group. The unit provides leadership in strategic initiatives, including: provision of specialized advice, expertise and strategic direction for the Policy Group; coordination of the implementation of key initiatives under the Policy Group Strategic, Business and Human resources Plans; and coordination of Policy Group input into departmental planning and reporting requests.

Policy Community Partnerships Office

The Policy Community Partnerships Office (PCPO) is a small multidisciplinary team collecting and sharing back policymaking experiences, case studies and emergent practices across all policy roles from strategic policy, research, regulations, program operations and service delivery to help develop policy capacity in the Government of Canada. As a Privy Council initiative, the group is funded by over 25 Memorandum of Understandings; it reports annually to the Clerk and is governed both by an interdepartmental ADM advisory board chaired by Policy Community Champion Serge Bijimine and Policy United to meet recognized needs of policy practitioners in the organizational context. The group is housed at TC as of October 24, 2022 and launched its three-year strategic theme “Adaptive Policymaking Capacity” in December 2022.