Over the next five years, a risk-based safety oversight framework will be strengthened where targeted interventions achieve observable and measurable results within progressively-reduced budgets. An Integrated Management System (IMS) will be fully implemented, providing value-added results for Canadians.

The future we are building towards is one where industry operates at the maximum level of delegation possible, with the flexibility to meet safety requirements in the most cost-efficient manner. This means that the regulatory framework must be increasingly performance-based to permit the implementation of systematic approaches to provide continuous improvement in safety performance.

A safe transportation system is an essential element of the Government of Canada’s commitment to protecting the health and well-being of Canadians. To support this commitment, Transport Canada’s vision is: A transportation system in Canada that is recognized worldwide as safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible.

Civil Aviation will be guided by the Department’s vision statement, which is guided, in part, by the principle: highest practicable safety and security of life and property—guided by performance-based standards and regulations, when necessary.

However, safety isn’t something that can be absolutely guaranteed. How we manage risk in aviation—or what we do to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place—becomes the logical and necessary focus of our endeavours. For the purposes of the Civil Aviation Program, and to bring our strategic goals into focus, Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) defines safety as the condition where risks are managed to acceptable levels, which translates into our mission: To develop and administer policies and regulations for the safest civil aviation system for Canada and Canadians, using a systems approach to managing risks. An acceptable level of risk is determined on a case-by-case basis, through a sophisticated risk-assessment process.

Goals and objectives have been identified as priorities for the next five years, and are described in the following section. A summary table, which categorizes the objectives externally and internally, is attached (Appendix A). Specific activities and targets will be identified in the organization’s business plans in support of these priorities. Results will be measured using the tools of modern management in support of our two key results:

• Continued improvement on the high level of aviation safety in Canada, and

• A high level of public confidence in our Civil Aviation Program.