Question Period Note: Screening at Non-Designated Airports

Media call regarding administrative designation and screening services at small, non-designated airports

• With the Transportation Modernization Act, the Government of Canada has taken concrete steps to allow small airports such as Sherbrooke to offer security screening services to their passengers on a cost recovery basis.
• This arrangement allows small airports to enhance their economic competivivenness.
• It remains the decision of each airport to determine if the necessary investment is economically viable.
• Transport Canada’s priority is the safety and security of the transportation network.

IF PRESSED

• Transport Canada continually explores flexible approaches to aviation security that address evolving industry circumstances and security risks.

• The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) was created as Canada’s national aviation screening authority in 2002 in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks. 89 airports were designated to receive CATSA screening.
• Over the past few years, several small, non-designated airports (such as Sherbrooke) have expressed an interest in obtaining screening services, arguing that screening services would support economic development opportunities by attracting routes to larger, designated airports.
• On July 29, 2015, regulatory amendments to the Canadian Aviation Security Regulations, 2012, were published in Canada Gazette, Part II. These allowed small, low-risk airports the ability to be considered designated by the Minister to allow them to purchase screening services from CATSA.
• The Transportation Modernization Act, which received Royal Assent on May 23, 2018, allows CATSA to implement screening services with stakeholders on a cost recovery basis.
• Before screening operations can commence:
o The airport must meet all security requirements and enter into an agreement with CATSA, and
o The Minister must designate the specific airports where screening will take place and inform the public.
• This arrangement also allows Canada’s small airports to enhance their competitiveness without compromising the level of aviation security at existing designated airports.

SHERBROOKE

• In November 18, 2019, Sherbrooke airport indicated its intent to shortly send its Aerodrome Security Plan to Transport Canada for evaluation. Once the department has received the necessary documentation, it will be assessed in accordance with the Canadian Aviation Security Regulations, 2012.
• As of January 15, 2020, Transport Canada has not received the Airport Security Plan of Sherbrooke Airport.
• It should be noted that the normal designation process, once the request is received, extends over a period of 90 days (3 months). This period does not take into account potential delays due to infrastructure construction or improvements that may prove be necessary in order to be compliant with aviation security requirements.

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