STRENGTHENING THE SYSTEM

With air travel having become commonplace and easily accessible, Canadians have confidence in the safety of aviation in Canada. And with good reason: Canada has one of the safest aviation systems in the world. Aviation safety is maintained through a layered approach that is consistently being strengthened to enhance safety and the confidence of Canadians.

Transport Canada is committed to the effective and efficient use of its resources to carry out its comprehensive safety program to protect Canadians and maintain that confidence. The program includes certification, training and licensing, monitoring, enforcement, awareness and promotion, and partnerships.

How We Strengthen Aviation Safety
To maintain and build on Canada’s strong safety record, Transport Canada is always investigating new and innovative ways to deliver its safety programs. This means challenging the status quo, refining existing practices, adopting new best practices, and developing strategies to address anticipated challenges.

As part of this approach, Transport Canada’s civil aviation section applies risk management techniques consistently and systematically. Examples include the allocation of resources to achieve the greatest potential for enhancing safety and the adjustment of program priorities through reliable data. Transport Canada analyzes all its data to develop efficient ways of deploying civil aviation resources to those activities that will provide the greatest safety benefit.

The department's automated management information system contains a database of 1,800 different tasks carried out within the national civil aviation program and serves as the foundation for the analysis of workload requirements. In addition, a database of the numbers and types of civil aviation industry clients, for example operators and aviation companies, is updated annually and a frequency-of-inspection policy sets standards to provide consistency in the management of safety oversight activities.

Collaborative Approach
As part of its civil aviation safety framework, Transport Canada identifies goals for the continued improvement of aviation safety in Canada and tracks its performance annually. The department collects aviation accident and incident information through the Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System. This internal system provides initial information to alert the department to occurrences in Canada or incidents involving Canadian-registered aircraft.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recognizes Canada's enviable aviation transportation safety record. Transport Canada is committed to making this record even better, in part through the collection and analysis of data. The department is an active participant in the ICAO Safety Indicators and Study Group which develops aviation safety indicators to provide reliable safety information globally.

Accident rate statistics from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's 2004 report show the accident rate as down for 2004 — to 6.6 accidents per 100,000 flying hours from 8 per cent in 2003. However, this is below the five-year average of 7.9.

Transport Canada strives for the best transportation system to serve Canada and Canadians. This includes looking for ways to continue providing an innovative, environmentally responsible, sustainable, and above all, safe transportation system that connects Canadians with each other and the world.

May 2006