Question Period Note: Air Transport Agreements

Canada has Air Transport Agreements which cover 125 countries, improving connectivity for passengers, deepening people-to-people and commercial ties, and strengthening supply chains.

• Canada has Air Transport Agreements capturing over 125 countries, which establish a framework for Canada's air connectivity to the world. These partners represent 98% of Canada's overall international passenger traffic.
• In the last year, the Government expanded its Air Transport Agreements with Argentina, Australia, Qatar, and Senegal, and concluded a first-time Air Transport Agreement with Ghana.
• [If direct flights to India is raised]: Aware of the campaign for direct flights from Western Canada and Vancouver-Punjab. The locations that airlines serve, within the framework offered by air transport agreements, are business decisions.
• [If direct flights to China are raised]: Canadian and Chinese carriers are permitted to incrementally operate a limited increased level of service between the two countries that is in-line with passenger demand. This more appropriately meets the needs of travelers and shippers.
• The Government consults stakeholders on their commercial priorities ahead of establishing its ATA negotiating priorities. This is guided by the Blue Sky Policy to encourage international connectivity to benefit Canadian passengers, shippers and the tourism and business sectors.

ATAs establish the right for scheduled, commercial air services between Canada and a foreign country, including the right for airlines of each country to overfly and emergency land in the others' airspace; place their operating code on another airline's flight (code-share); and operate direct passenger and/or cargo flights into the other country. The Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Transport are jointly responsible for ATAs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is responsible for Canada's international relations and overseeing Canada's domestic adoption of international treaties, including ATAs. The negotiation of ATAs is guided by Canada's Blue Sky Policy, which encourages the development of international air services to benefit passengers, shippers, and the tourism and business sectors. Canada-China air services have been limited since May 2021 because of China's pandemic-related restrictions on air travel. Canada and China remain closely engaged on air services. As of November 1, 2024, Canadian and Chinese carriers are permitted to incrementally operate a limited increased level of service between the two countries that is in-line with passenger demand. Canada's objective is that increased air services are added to the market in a manner that will both meet passenger demand and offer an equitable and competitive operating environment for air carriers of both countries. The Government has received petitions for increased Winnipeg-India connectivity (direct and one-stop flights), and direct Vancouver-Amritsar flights. The ATA allows each Party to operate direct flights to up to six cities in the other country. India has selected Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, and Vancouver, with two additional points to be named, while Canada has selected Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. Indian airlines have the right to operate direct flights between Punjab and Canada and could select Winnipeg as one of their remaining points. The locations that airlines decide to serve are business decisions. Canada has raised with India its interest in adding cities under the ATA.

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