The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) today announced that proposed Air Passenger Protection Regulations will be published in Part I of the Canada Gazette on December 22, 2018 for public review and comment. The regulations are being made by the CTA under the Canada Transportation Act, as amended by the Transportation Modernization Act on May 23, 2018.
The CTA consulted broadly for three months with the travelling public, consumer rights groups, the airline industry, and other interested parties through a variety of channels, including public sessions across the country, on-line questionnaires, surveys of passengers in airports, face-to-face meetings with key experts and stakeholders, and the receipt of written submissions and comments. The CTA considered all input received as it developed the draft regulations that will be published on December 22.
Administrative monetary penalties of up to $25,000 for airlines' non-compliance with their obligations under these regulations.
The complete text of the regulations will be available on December 22 in Part I of the Canada Gazette. Comments can be submitted to consultations@otc-cta.gc.ca until February 20, 2019.
For more information on the proposed passenger regulations and how they would ensure clarity, consistency, fairness, and transparency, refer to the CTA's Air Passenger Protection Regulations Web page and the backgrounder.
"We know how much interest there is among Canadians in air travel issues. During our May-August consultation process, we had approximately 31,000 visits to our consultation website, met with hundreds of people from across the country, and received thousands of submissions, comments, and completed questionnaires and surveys. All this input has shaped the proposed Air Passenger Protection Regulations. We're committed to finalizing a set of minimum airline obligations that are clear, fair, and balanced as soon as possible – and we look forward to getting a last round of feedback from Canadians over the next two months."
In May 2018, the Transportation Modernization Act amended the Canada Transportation Act to require the CTA to make regulations defining airline obligations toward passengers. The proposed regulations are being made in line with the amended Act and reflect extensive consultations.
At the same time, the CTA will also be publishing its proposed regulatory amendments pertaining to the Air Transportation Regulations (ATR) in Part I of the Canada Gazette. Canadians will have until February 20, 2019 to comment on the proposed amendments.
The CTA will review all comments received following the pre-publication of the proposed regulations in Part I of the Canada Gazette and may propose adjustments based on this feedback. Once approved, the final regulations will be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette. The regulations are expected to come into force in summer 2019.