Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) 2024 Annual Public Meeting

Hello, Bonjour, welcome to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority’s Annual Public Meeting.

I would like to begin by acknowledging that this event is hosted on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin.

My name is Max Paradis and it’s my pleasure to be here today to introduce our two speakers – Ms. Thao Pham, CATSA’s Chairperson and Mr. Neil Parry, CATSA’s Senior Vice President of Operations, who is joining us today on behalf of CATSA’s President and CEO, Nada Semaan. Together, they will present CATSA’s accomplishments over the last fiscal year and highlight organizational priorities for the year ahead.

We will begin today’s meeting with Ms. Pham, who joined CATSA in March of 2023.

Ms. Pham is a former senior Canadian government official with extensive experience in leadership, management and governance. She last served as Deputy Minister, COVID-19 Recovery and previously as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Operations) in the Privy Council Office. Prior to that, she served as Associate Deputy Minister of Transport Canada. She also held a number of senior positions, including at Infrastructure Canada, Canada Economic Development Agency for Quebec Regions, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Please welcome, Ms. Thao Pham.

Thank you, Maxime, and thank you to everyone for joining us today.

It is a pleasure to participate in my second Annual Public Meeting as the Chairperson of CATSA’s Board of Directors.

First, let me provide some insights about CATSA’s Board. It is made up of 11 directors, including the chairperson, all of whom are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Transport. Two of these directors are nominated by the airline industry and two by the airport industry.

Reflecting on my first full year as Chairperson, I am immensely proud to be part of an organization entrusted with such a significant mandate, contributing to the security of air travellers and the aviation system.

In fiscal year 2023/24, CATSA screened over 66 million passengers, all while surpassing wait-time service levels. This accomplishment underscores CATSA’s contributions to the aviation industry recovery and reinforces the resilience of Canada’s aviation ecosystem.

During this period, the organization also introduced several new initiatives. CATSA’s Senior Vice- President of Operations, will elaborate on their benefits, but I’d like to specifically highlight a few enhancements: including the introduction of the Verified Traveller Program and the implementation of new technology and algorithms to enhance screening.

Security screening is CATSA’s core mandate and the organization is equally committed to achieving excellence in customer service. Firmly committed to ensure inclusive service and respect for all travellers, we continue to prioritize accessibility, reconciliation and inclusive screening practices that respect the diverse needs and experiences of the travelling public.

Over the past year, the Board offered strategic direction and forward planning to the organization through many future-focused initiatives. This began in June 2023, with strategic planning discussions between the Board and CATSA’s management team, envisioning a CATSA of the future. Throughout the year, the Board enhanced governance and oversight practices, engaged with partners in the aviation industry, and gained insights into the diverse needs of today’s travellers.

The success CATSA has experienced over the past year is a result of the collective efforts of the entire CATSA team. I extend my heartfelt thanks to the senior management group and staff for their dedication and commitment to excellence. I would also like to thank Transport Canada and our industry partners including airport authorities, airlines, associations and others, for their ongoing collaboration and support.

In addition, on behalf of all members of the Board, I extend my gratitude to CATSA’s screening contractors, and the over 8,900 front-line screening officers across the country for their efficient and effective security screening services.

My sincere appreciation also goes to CATSA’s current Board members for their continued dedication to CATSA. It is truly an honour to work alongside each one of you to fulfill CATSA’s mandate and organizational objectives.

I am eager to continue to work in collaboration with our partners, our stakeholders, and CATSA'S senior management team, to provide the highest level of security screening and the best service to air travelers while contributing to the Government of Canada’s priorities.

I also look forward to leading and facilitating CATSA’s Board as it carries out its duties over the year ahead.

I am confident that this year will bring further success, collaboration, innovation and progress for CATSA in enhancing security screening and the passenger experience, while safeguarding the interests of the travelling public.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Pham

Our next speaker is Mr. Neil Parry, Senior Vice-President of Operations. Mr. Parry joined CATSA in 2002 and has held a number of senior positions in his tenure with the organization. He is accountable for both the delivery and oversight of screening services across the country and the training and certification of screening personnel. In addition, he is responsible for strengthening collaboration between CATSA, its screening contractors and industry stakeholders.

Please welcome Mr. Neil Parry

Thank you, Max, and thank you, Ms. Pham.

It’s a pleasure to address you today on behalf of our CEO, Nada Semaan, to reflect on our progress over the past year and to share with you our exciting plans for the future.

In 2023, we experienced our first full year of operational recovery since the onset of the pandemic. Through innovative thinking and strategic planning, CATSA effectively managed the increased passenger volumes encountered during this time.

By adding 2,200 more screening officers to our frontline operations, we successfully screened an impressive 66.6 million passengers in 2023/24, effectively restoring us to pre-pandemic levels.

Our proactive preparations for the anticipated volumes were evident in our outstanding wait time service levels. Across Class 1 airports, just over 95% of passengers waited less than 15 minutes – on average – to be screened, surpassing our initial target of 85%. This achievement provides us with positive momentum as we effectively raise the bar to 95% as our new objective for 2024/25. Our focus on service excellence and enhancing the passenger experience were central to our efforts over the last year, and we take great pride in the progress and accomplishments made during this time.

Notably, as was mentioned by Ms. Pham, we successfully launched the Verified Traveller Program in June 2023 across Canada’s eight busiest airports, providing eligible travellers with added benefits at select security screening checkpoints across the country.

Additionally, significant investments were made in CT X-ray screening technology, which is slated for deployment across checkpoints nationwide. Further details on this initiative will be shared later in the year.

We also piloted and implemented a new gender-neutral detection algorithm for our full-body scanners, advancing our efforts to deliver inclusive and equitable screening for all passengers.

Progress was also made on the commitments outlined in our three-year Accessibility Plan and on the recommendations from the Audit of Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities by the Office of the Auditor General.

And finally, I want to emphasize two significant organizational undertakings from the last year that were critical for our operations. First, the successful procurement and implementation of new Airport Screening Services Agreements, which have solidified our commitment to efficient and effective security screening services. Secondly, the seamless transition to a new maintenance service provider for our screening equipment, which ensures the continued reliability and effectiveness of our technology.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to enhancing the passenger experience, and creating a positive and barrier-free security screening experience for all those who work in and travel through Canada’s airports.

As part of this commitment, we will continue to monitor the Verified Traveller Program to assess its potential for expansion.

We are also planning for the implementation of enhanced non-passenger screening in alignment with Government of Canada priorities, with an anticipated start date in early 2025.

We will also explore innovative technologies and leverage, where possible, artificial intelligence to enhance security screening for passengers, aiming for the highest efficiency and effectiveness.

Improving the passenger journey remains a core priority for us as an organization, and we are committed to making continuous strides in this area over the next year.

As an organization, we look forward to working productively with, Transport Canada, our screening contractors, airport authorities, air carriers and industry partners on solutions to improve the end-to-end passenger journey. I am confident that, collectively, we will achieve great things.

Over the last year, CATSA has demonstrated its commitment to success through the dedication of our workforce, which includes innovative thinkers, strategic planners and strong leaders. On behalf of our CEO and the Senior Management Committee, I extend my sincere gratitude to all CATSA employees for their exceptional work and valuable contributions.

I also want to thank our CEO as well as my colleagues on the senior management team and the Board of Directors for their dedication to the organization.

I cannot overlook the crucial role played by our screening contractors and screening officers who work tirelessly on the frontlines every day to ensure the security of the travelling public. Your dedication is greatly appreciated.

On behalf of CATSA’s CEO and the entire senior management team, I thank you very much for joining us today.

Thank you, Mr. Parry

This concludes our Annual Public Meeting. It has been our pleasure to share highlights from the previous year and to offer a preview of the year to come.

Please take note that you can send questions and request clarification through our website at catsa.gc.ca. You have until August 21 to do so. The responses will be posted on the website shortly thereafter.

Thank you again for joining us today and we hope to see you again next year.