Standing Committee on Public Accounts

Comité permanent des comptes publics

For immediate release

Ottawa, December 13, 2017 -

Transport Canada was aware of information documented since 2005 about remote northern airports’ safety- and efficiency-related infrastructure needs. However, the Department had not taken a leadership role in addressing these needs by leading efforts and working collaboratively with its provincial, territorial, and industry partners to enhance the safety and improve the accessibility and efficiency of remote northern airports, according to a report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts tabled today in the House of Commons by the Hon. Kevin Sorenson, Chair of the Committee.

In the spring of 2017, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) released a performance audit whose objective was to determine whether Transport Canada assessed and addressed civil aviation infrastructure needs in Canada’s north to ensure a safe and efficient civil aviation system. The audit found that while Transport Canada was aware of remote northern airports’ infrastructure needs, the Department did not lead efforts to address them. Moreover, the OAG found that the annual budget of the Airports Capital Assistance Program had remained at $38 million for the past 17 years; as such, the audit showed that the funding available through the Program will not be sufficient to meet remote northern airports’ needs, such as runway lighting and length.

In this report, the Committee made three recommendations that seek to ensure that Transports Canada implements proposed corrective measures in order to properly address the deficiencies identified in the OAG’s audit.