Part I of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) includes a basic definition of SMS, which is:

A systematic, explicit, comprehensive and proactive process for managing safety risks that integrates operations and technical systems with financial and human resource management to achieve safe operations and compliance with the Canadian Aviation Regulations.

A safety management system required under a Part of the Canadian Aviation Regulations shall include:

(a)  a safety policy;

(b)  a process for planning, and measuring safety performance;

(c)  a process for identifying hazards and evaluating and managing risks;

(d)  a process for ensuring that personnel are trained and competent to perform their duties;

(e)  a process for proactive internal reporting and analysis of hazards, incidents and accidents, and for taking corrective measures to prevent their recurrence;

(f)  documentation of all the Safety Management System processes, and a process for ensuring that personnel are aware of their responsibilities in regards to them;

(g)  a process for conducting reviews or audits of the Safety Management System processes, on a periodic basis and for cause; and

(h)  any additional safety management system requirements that are prescribed under the Part of the Canadian Aviation Regulations under which the operations certificate is issued;

From these, the following six components will be the basis of Transport Canada’s evaluations:

• A safety management plan;
• Documentation;
• Safety oversight, including reactive and proactive processes;
• Training;
• Quality assurance; and
• Emergency preparedness.