Aviation in Canada is growing and the Canadian public is confident that the aviation industry in Canada is safe. We are, however, facing serious challenges. For example, projected growth in aviation means that maintaining the current low accident rate will result in an unacceptable number of accidents. The challenge for Transport Canada and the industry is to find ways to lower the accident rate even further as the industry grows.

Flight 2005: A Civil Aviation Safety Framework for Canada identifies six Evolving Directions which represent the principal adjustments that we need to make over the next few years:

• Adopting a data-driven approach to enhancing aviation safety. This includes collecting and making more accessible the type of data that will support a proactive approach to safety;
• Using a risk-based approach to resource allocation to support those activities which will achieve the greatest safety benefit;
• Fostering and strengthening partnerships to put into effect the concept that responsibility for safety is shared by the regulator and the aviation community;
• Implementing safety management systems in aviation organizations;
• Taking account of human and organizational factors in safety management practices; and
• Communicating effectively with the aviation community on safety.

Implementing safety management systems is the cornerstone of the evolving directions. All the other directions will evolve within a safety management system environment. Safety management systems are based on the fact that there will always be hazards and risks, so proactive management is needed to identify and control these threats to safety before they lead to mishaps.

The material in this booklet is condensed from a number of sources to introduce safety management system principles and concepts. Applying this approach will require changes in the way both Transport Canada and the industry deal with safety, including regulatory changes. This booklet is not intended to be a guide to compliance with the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), but we hope it will be useful to owners and managers who want to engage their entire staff in safety.

Art LaFlamme
Director General
Civil Aviation

April 2001