User Fees, Regulatory Charges and External Fees

Civil Aviation's:

• Service Standards Initiative; and
• Service Charter

Within Civil Aviation, we continue to expand the use of our Activity Tracking System (ATS) throughout the organization to allow the tracking of numerous program-related activities, including services with regulatory fees. 

In 2016-17, we delivered 72,816 services. Services with official standards were delivered 78% of the time within their established levels of service. This includes all fee-based and select non-fee services as published externally in TP 14984. If segregating performance by type of service, services with fees were delivered 81% of the time within their published Service Standards, in comparison to 88% of the time in 2015-16.

Marine Safety Regulatory Fees
(Inspections, Surveys, Services, etc.)

These consist of:

• The Canada Shipping Act, 2001; and
• Various regulations including the:
  • Board of Steamship Inspection Scale of Fees; and
  • Vessels Registry Fees Tariff

2007
The last modifications of regulations pertaining to user fees were made in 2007. However, this did not trigger the User Fees Act, as there were no changes to the actual fees; these changes were regulatory in nature only. Over the years, our revenues have risen due to:

• Increased activity levels; and
• More consistent application of the standby fees listed in section 29 of the Board of Steamship Inspection Scale of Fees Regulations.

Marine Safety completed a consultation and review process in 2012 to revise Service Standards for its fees. Details are provided on Transport Canada's website: Service Standards for Marine Safety Fees.

Within Marine Safety and Security, we are currently developing an Information Technology (IT) solution to strengthen oversight and management capabilities and consolidate a number of business lines within the organization. The objective is to expand on the Marine Safety Dispatch and Tracking System, released in April 2013, which measures the performance of Vessel Inspection and Certification Services.

The IT solution will improve our ability to track performance results:

• Against documented service standards of other marine safety-related services; and
• For compliance monitoring inspections.

Our 2016-17 performance results for Vessel Inspection and Certification Services for which a fee is levied, exceeds 85%.

The increase in revenue during fiscal year 2016-2017 was mostly generated by an increase in the number of vessel registrations and other associated registry transactions.

A complaint mechanism policy, "Handling of complaints related to Marine Safety User Fees and Applicable Service Standards," is available on our website.

Full or partial costs of activities that bring no benefits to the client/user, but assure the safety of the public, are not subject to user fees. Examples of such activities are compliance and enforcement.

Marine Safety, Ship Radio Inspection Program

Canada Shipping Act, 2001; and
Ship Radio Inspection Fees Regulations

2007
Amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions did not trigger the User Fees Act, as these changes were regulatory in nature only.

The Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act give our Marine Safety and Security team the authority to regulate maritime radio communication equipment for the purposes of distress alerting, safety and bridge-to-bridge communications. Our five working days performance standard is to:

• Provide a complete and satisfactory inspection; and
• Issue or endorse a radio inspection certificate.

In 2016-17, the assignation of date and approximate time for a ship radio inspection was within three working days over 90% of the time and sign-off on a complete and satisfactory inspection and the issuance of a radio inspection certificate was provided within five working days 100% of the time.

Funding of the Ship Radio Inspection Program is covered by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Revenues from user fees currently represent cost-recovery of overtime and travel costs only, and do not represent the full costs of the program. Full costs also include the costs for the program manager, a share of internal services costs and amortization costs of the ship radio inspection equipment.

A complaint mechanism policy, "Handling of complaints related to Marine Safety User Fees and Applicable Service Standards," is available on our website.

The reduction in revenue during fiscal year 2016-17 can be attributed to the reduced number of radio inspections. In summary:

• Most vessels 24 metres in length and above have been enrolled in the Delegated Statutory Inspection Program. This delegation of inspections includes radio inspections, so the number of radio inspections have dropped from about 1000 vessels to approximately 600 vessels; and
• Some vessels that operate in exclusively sheltered waters have moved to quadrennial radio inspections. This has also reduced the total number of inspections in a year, but does introduce some variability in the number of inspections from year to year.

Airport Fees, Air Services Charges Regulations
(General Terminal Fees, Landing Fees, Aircraft Parking Charges, Emergency Response Services Charges)

Paragraph 4.4(2) of the Aeronautics Act; and
Section 2 of the Ministerial Regulations Authorization Order for the Air Services Charges Regulations

2003
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.

Airports National Service Standards are available on our website.

We met our performance standards more than 90% of the time.

Data includes Transport Canada-owned and -operated airports only. 

Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard and are included on our website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf.

Airport Fees, Airport Traffic Regulations (Annual Registration of Mobile Equipment)

Government Property Traffic Act;
Airport Traffic Regulations — Part III, sections 57 to 60

2004
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.

Airports National Service Standards are available on our website.

We met our performance standards more than 90% of the time.

Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard, and are included on our website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf.

Airport Vehicle Parking Charges, Airport Vehicle Parking Charges Regulations

Paragraph 4.4(2) of the Aeronautics Act; and Section 2 of the Ministerial Regulations Authorization Order for the Airport Vehicle Parking Charges Regulations

2012
Subsequent amendments to regulations and/or fee reductions, if any, did not trigger the User Fees Act.

Airports National Service Standards are available on our website.

We met our performance standards more than 90% of the time.

Data includes Transport Canada-owned and -operated airports only. 

Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard and are included on our website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on its behalf.

Public Port Fees
(Wharfage and Transfers, Berthage, Storage, Harbour Dues, Utilities and Other Services)

Canada Marine Act; and Public Port Fees

2004

Public Ports and Public Port Facilities National Service Standards are posted on our website.

We met our performance standards more than 90% of the time.

Data includes Transport Canada-owned and operated ports only.

Fees Charged for the Processing of Access Requests Filed Under the Access to Information Act

Access to Information Act

1992
Subsequent amendments to the Act and regulations did not trigger the User Fees Act.

Service Standards are included in the Access to information Act, section 7. A response is provided within 30 days following receipt of a request. However, the response time may be extended pursuant to section 9 of the Act. Notice of extension is to be sent within 30 days after receipt of a request.

Transport Canada's Access to Information on-time response rate in 2016-17 was 84%. This result reflects Transport Canada's commitment to ensuring that every reasonable effort is made to complete requests in a timely manner and to meet its commitments to requestors.

The information track is for completed requests only, and represents both application fees for 750 requests and search fees for three requests. It does not include payments received last year for requests that are still active and carried over into fiscal year 2017-18.

Under the Access to Information Act, fees under $25 may be waived when deemed to be in the public interest; there is also discretion to waive application fees in keeping with the principle of duty to assist. Fees were waived or returned for 57 applications.

Cost information is based on the 2016-17 Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act. User Fee financial information includes adjustments to a full cost base in accordance with the Treasury Board Secretariat's Guide to Costing^{Footnote 1}.

On May 5, 2016, the Treasury Board issued a directive that clarifies that institutions are henceforth only permitted to charge the initial request fee of $5. Fees for searches or production of records are no longer permissible. As a result, going forward, in line with the Interim Directive on the Administration of the Access to Information Act, all fees, apart from the $5 application fee, will be waived. 

Aviation Safety Regulatory Fees

Civil Aviation's:

• Service Standards Initiative; and
• Service Charter

Within Civil Aviation, we continue to expand the use of our Activity Tracking System (ATS) throughout the organization to allow the tracking of numerous program-related activities, including services with regulatory fees. 

In 2016-17, we delivered 72,816 services. Services with official standards were delivered 78% of the time within their established levels of service. This includes all fee-based and select non-fee services as published externally in TP 14984. If segregating performance by type of service, services with fees were delivered 81% of the time within their published Service Standards, in comparison to 88% of the time in 2015-16.

A review of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, Part 104, continues in order to modernize the fee structure so as to ensure the fees reflect the current operating costs.

Marine Safety, Regulatory Fees (inspections, surveys, services, etc.)

2016-17 performance results are available for Vessel Inspection and Certification Services, for which a fee is levied pursuant to the Board of Steamship Inspection Scale of Fees. Performance for these standards exceeds 85%.

Within Marine Safety and Security, we are currently developing an Information Technology (IT) solution to strengthen oversight and management capabilities and consolidate a number of business lines within the organization. The objective is to expand on the Marine Safety Dispatch and Tracking System, released in April 2013, which measures the performance of Vessel Inspection and Certification Services.

The IT solution will improve our ability to track performance results:

• Against documented service standards of other marine safety-related services; and
• For compliance monitoring inspections.

Our 2016-17 performance results for Vessel Inspection and Certification Services for which a fee is levied, exceeds 85%.

Marine Safety, Ship Radio Inspection Program

The Canada Shipping Act, 2001 and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act give our Marine Safety and Security team the authority to regulate maritime radio communication equipment on board for the purposes of distress alerting, safety and bridge-to-bridge communications. Our five working days performance standard is to:

• Provide a complete and satisfactory inspection; and
• Issue or endorse a radio inspection certificate.

In 2016-17, the assignation of date and approximate time for a ship radio inspection was within three working days over 90% of the time and sign-off on a complete and satisfactory inspection and the issuance of a radio inspection certificate was provided within five working days 100% of the time.

Vessels enrolled in the Delegated Statutory Inspection Program (DSIP) are not part of annual service performance reporting for 2016-17.

Airport Fees, Air Services Charges Regulations
(General Terminal Fees, Landing Fees, Aircraft Parking Charges, Emergency Response Services Charges)

Airports National Service Standards

Performance met standards more than 90% of the time.

Ongoing stakeholder consultations and feedback are managed through existing channels (tenant meetings, comment cards, etc.) at the various sites and on our website.

Reviews of 2016-17 feedback were deemed satisfactory and no outstanding issues have been reported. In 2017-18, ongoing feedback will continue to be managed through existing channels.

Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard and are included on our website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on our behalf.

Not applicable

Airport Fees, Airport Traffic Regulations (Annual Registration of Mobile Equipment)

Airports National Service Standards

Performance standards were met more than 90% of the time.

Ongoing stakeholder consultations and feedback are managed through existing channels (tenant meetings, comment cards, etc.) at the various sites and on our website.

Reviews of 2016-17 feedback were deemed satisfactory and no outstanding issues have been reported. In 2017-18, ongoing feedback will continue to be managed through existing channels.

Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard and are included on our website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on our behalf.

Not applicable

Airports, Vehicle Parking Charges, Airport Vehicle Parking Charges Regulations

Airports National Service Standards

Performance standards were met more than 90% of the time.

Ongoing stakeholder consultations and feedback are managed through existing channels (tenant meetings, comment cards, etc.) at the various sites and on our website.

Reviews of 2016-17 feedback have been satisfactory and no outstanding issues have been reported. In 2017-18, ongoing feedback will continue to be managed through existing channels.

Complaint mechanisms enabling feedback from members of the public and stakeholders have been established. Mechanisms are incorporated into each service standard and are included on our website for service standards related to airports operated by Transport Canada or on our behalf.

Not applicable

Public Port Fees
(Wharfage and transfers, Berthage, Storage, Harbour Dues, Utilities and Other Services)

Public Ports National Service Standards.

Reviews of 2016-17 feedback have been satisfactory and there are no outstanding issues reported. In 2017-18, stakeholder feedback will continue to be managed through existing channels.

A complaint mechanism has been implemented through feedback on Transport Canada's website for service standards related to public ports and public port facilities. Other dispute mechanisms are in place and built into each service standard.

Not applicable

Fees Charged for the Processing of Access Requests Filed Under the Access to Information Act

Service Standards are included in the Access to information Act, section 7. A response is provided within 30 days following receipt of a request. However, the response time may be extended pursuant to section 9 of the Act. Notice of extension is to be sent within 30 days after receipt of a request.

Transport Canada’s Access to Information on-time response rate in 2016-17 was 84%. This result reflects Transport Canada’s commitment to ensuring that every reasonable effort is made to complete requests in a timely manner and to meet its commitments to requestors.

The information track is for completed requests only, and represents both application fees for 750 requests and search fees for three requests. It does not include payments received last year for requests that are still active and carried over into fiscal year 2017-18.

Under the Access to Information Act, fees under $25 may be waived when deemed to be in the public interest; there is also discretion to waive application fees in keeping with the principle of duty to assist. Fees were waived or returned for 57 applications and one search.

Cost information is based on the 2016-17 Statistical Report on the Access to Information Act. User Fee financial information includes adjustments to a full cost base in accordance with the Treasury Board Secretariat's Guide to Costing^{Footnote 2}.

Not Applicable

On May 5, 2016, the Treasury Board issued a directive that clarifies that institutions are henceforth only permitted to charge the initial request fee of $5. Fees for searches or production of records are no longer permissible. As a result, going forward, in line with the Interim Directive on the Administration of the Access to Information Act, all fees, apart from the $5 application fee, will be waived.