AVIATION SAFETY IN CANADA:
A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Aviation in Canada operates on the principle that, both on the ground and in the air, safety is a shared responsibility among everyone in the industry, including regulators, operators and manufacturers.

The continuing safety of Canada's aviation system depends upon Transport Canada's ongoing co-ordination and co-operation with a variety of domestic and international organizations concerned with aviation safety. These include the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), NAV CANADA, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Together, these organizations set the international guidelines and standards for safe air transportation.

Transport Canada - Civil Aviation

Transport Canada sets the standards and regulations for the safe manufacture, operation and maintenance of aircraft in Canada. The department also sets the training and currency standards for licensed aviation professionals in Canada, such as air traffic controllers, pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers.

The department ensures compliance with these standards and regulations through a regular program of comprehensive monitoring, inspections and audits; it also initiates training and promotional campaigns to encourage safe practices by aviation professionals in Canada.

Transport Canada's team of more than 800 inspectors works with Canadian air operators, aircraft manufacturers, airport operators and air navigation service providers to maintain the continuing safety of Canada's aviation system. These inspectors monitor, inspect and audit Canadian aviation companies to verify their compliance with Transport Canada's strict regulations and standards for pilot licensing, aircraft certification and aircraft operation.

Transport Canada also maintains professional relationships with a variety of international organizations. The department participates in bilateral and international working groups to harmonize technical and operational standards, simplify regulations through bilateral agreements and develop common safety standards and programs.

Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council

Created and supported by Transport Canada, the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council (CARAC) is a joint initiative between government and the aviation community. CARAC's primary goal is to assess and recommend potential changes to Canada's aviation regulations and standards through co-operative development activities.

Members of the aviation community are encouraged to participate in CARAC's numerous regulatory meetings and technical working groups. A large number of non-government organizations - including air operators, aviation labour organizations, manufacturers, industry associations and groups representing the public - are members.

Transportation Safety Board of Canada

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is a federal agency that operates independently of Transport Canada. Its mandate is to advance safety in the areas of marine, pipeline, rail and aviation transportation by:

• conducting independent investigations;
• reporting publicly on related findings;
• identifying safety deficiencies and making recommendations to reduce or eliminate these deficiencies; and
• conducting special safety-related studies and investigations.

The TSB also maintains a mandatory incident reporting system for all modes of transportation. The statistics derived from this information are used by the TSB and Transport Canada to track potential safety concerns in Canada's transportation system.

NAV CANADA

NAV CANADA is a private, not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates Canada's civil air navigation service. It coordinates the safe and efficient movement of aircraft in both domestic airspace and international airspace assigned to Canadian control. The corporation provides a variety of services including air traffic control, flight information, weather briefings, airport advisories, and air navigation and approach aids for aircraft operating in Canadian airspace.

NAV CANADA works closely with Transport Canada to promote the safe operation and management of Canada's air navigation service. The department and the corporation have established a joint safety committee to oversee safety management issues in Canada's civil air navigation service. New performance-based regulations have been developed to encourage safe and efficient management.

These performance-based regulations incorporate the safety standards for NAV CANADA's operations, which include the installation, maintenance and operation of air navigation facilities and equipment, as well as the training and certification of personnel. The corporation's compliance with these regulations and standards is monitored through regular audits of its operations.

If NAV CANADA proposes to change the level of service at any of its facilities, the Minister of Transport may order a study that would involve extensive public and stakeholder consultation. It would also identify any real or potential risks to aviation safety. The study would then be reviewed by the Minister, and if the proposed change would result in an unacceptable risk to aviation safety, the Minister could order NAV CANADA to maintain a specified level of service at the relevant facility.

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the civil aviation authority that regulates the largest civil aviation industry in the world.

The FAA performs many of the same regulatory functions as Transport Canada, including the licensing of aviation professionals, the certification of domestically built aircraft and the inspection of air operators. The FAA also owns and operates the civil air navigation system in the United States.

The FAA and Transport Canada have made extensive progress in harmonizing and simplifying their respective aviation regulations, and continue their co-operation in technical and regulatory matters at bilateral and international meetings.

European Joint Aviation Authorities

The European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) is the civil aviation authority representing most European countries and therefore sets the regulations for the second-largest civil aviation industry in the world.

International Civil Aviation Organization

Based in Montreal, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a United Nations agency that helps coordinate the work of international civil aviation authorities and establishes international standards for a wide range of aviation functions and responsibilities. It encourages the use of safety measures, establishes visual and instrument flight rules for pilots and crews, develops aeronautical charts, coordinates aircraft radio frequencies, sets uniform regulations for the operation of air services and promotes simpler customs procedures among its member nations.

ICAO issues a wide variety of technical, economic and legal publications, as well as films, video tapes, slides, diskettes and posters, to help government authorities, manufacturers and operators in the aviation community promote a safe, orderly and efficient international air transportation system.

As a supporter of ICAO's development of an international system of safety oversight audits, Transport Canada co-sponsored a resolution to conduct transparent and mandatory audits of all member states.

To demonstrate its commitment to ICAO's new safety oversight assessment program, Canada volunteered to be one of the first nations with a mature civil aviation system to have an ICAO assessment in advance of the mandatory requirements under the program.

More information on Transport Canada's civil aviation policies and programs can be found online at http://www.tc.gc.ca.