Established on June 30, 2003, the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada (TATC) is a multimodal quasi-judicial body that provides an independent review process to the air, rail and marine sectors for administrative decisions and enforcement actions taken under various transportation acts. The TATC is modeled on and replaces the Civil Aviation Tribunal established in 1986, which dealt exclusively with aviation matters.

The tribunal is independent of Transport Canada, but reports to Parliament through the Minister of Transport. The tribunal is comprised of full-time and part-time members selected and appointed by the governor-in-council. The chairperson and vice-chairperson are the only full-time members, while part-time members are selected and appointed on the basis of their specific transportation knowledge and experience. The TATC is characterized by independence, expertise, affordability, fairness and transparency.

Under the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada Act, review hearings are heard by a member with the relevant transportation expertise. This means that, for example, only members with rail expertise will conduct hearings on rail matters. In appeal hearings, which tend to be less technical than review hearings, the panel may also include the chairperson and vice-chairperson.

The TATC holds review and appeal hearings at the request of individuals, companies and municipalities directly affected by certain administrative decisions and enforcement actions taken under the Aeronautics Act, the Railway Safety Act, the Canada Transportation Act, the Marine Transportation Security Act and the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. These decisions include licensing and certification actions, refusals to remove enforcement notations, assessments of administrative monetary penalties, and issuances of railway orders and notices of defaulting on compliance agreements.

Use of the tribunal for the marine sector under the Marine Transportation Security Act and the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 is forthcoming and will occur as part of larger regulatory reform packages currently underway in marine safety and security.

For more information on the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada, visit www.tatc.gc.ca. You can also contact the TATC at:

April 2007