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Transport Canada Takes Full Authority for Business Aviation

No H031/10
For release - March 16, 2010

OTTAWA — Canada’s Transport Minister John Baird today announced that Transport Canada will take back the certification and oversight functions for business aviation from the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA). This change will come into effect on April 1, 2011. Business aircraft are predominantly used by companies to transport employees as well as goods and parts.

“The safety and security of business aircraft operators and their passengers continues to be a priority for our government,” said Baird. “We will continue to ensure the private operator certification program meets the highest aviation safety expectations.”

With this change, Transport Canada will take back from the CBAA full responsibility for issuing operating certificates to new applicants as well as for processing changes to existing certificate holders. Operators will continue to be responsible for complying with requirements for maintaining their aircraft and Transport Canada will continue to assess compliance.

During the next year, there will be limited change for business aviation operators. CBAA will still be responsible for certification of business aviation until April 1, 2011. In the meantime, starting April 1, 2010, Transport Canada will begin enhancing surveillance of the Association’s certification and oversight functions. During this period of transition, Transport Canada will take the opportunity to conduct a complete review of its surveillance and regulatory structure for business aviation operations.

Although business air operations are not available to the public at large, this sector has been regulated under sections of the Canadian Aviation Regulations due to the sophistication of the aircraft being operated. Canada is the only country that imposes additional regulatory requirements specifically for business aviation. Requirements for business aircraft have been in place since 1983.

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Contacts:

James Kusie
Director of Issues Management and Parliamentary Affairs
Office of Canada's Transport Minister
John Baird, Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada
Ottawa
613-993-0055

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to news releases and speeches at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news and keep up-to-date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.

Date modified:
2010-03-16