Core Responsibility
As per the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Policy on Results, Crown corporations are expected to comply with the requirement to identify Core Responsibilities in order to support the publication of the Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates and Public Accounts. CATSA has one Core Responsibility, which is to deliver effective, efficient and consistent security at designated airports.
Mandated Activities
CATSA delivers the mandate of security screening at designated airports across the country through a third-party screening contractor model. Playing a pivotal role in Canada’s aviation system, CATSA is responsible for the delivery of the following four mandated activities:
Pre-board Screening (PBS)
The screening of all passengers, their carry-on baggage and their belongings prior to their entry to the secure area of an air terminal building.
Hold Baggage Screening (HBS)
The screening of all passengers’ checked (“hold”) baggage for prohibited items such as explosives, prior to being loaded onto an aircraft.
Non-passenger Screening (NPS)
The screening of non-passengers such as flight personnel, ground crew and service providers, and their belongings (including vehicles and their contents) entering restricted areas at the highest-risk airports.
Restricted Area Identity Card
The management of the system that uses iris and fingerprint biometric identifiers to allow authorized non-passengers access to the restricted areas of airports. The final authority that determines access to the restricted areas of an airport is the airport authority.
Passenger Testimonial
Montréal Trudeau International Airport
I went to the checkpoint to drop off my oversized bag and the team was great! It’s nice to see a team that smiles and makes jokes to put people at ease.
Cost Recovery and Other Designated Airports
The Transportation Modernization Act introduced authorities allowing CATSA to provide supplemental screening services to both designated and non-designated airports, subject to the approval of the Minister of Transport, so long as the provision of these services remains cost neutral. Based on this authority, CATSA has previously provided additional screening services to airports through supplemental screening agreements and will continue to work with interested partners. In 2023/24, there were no arrangements in place for CATSA to provide services on a cost-recovery basis.
Cargo
In addition to its mandated activities, CATSA has an agreement with Transport Canada to screen cargo at small airports where capacity exists. This program was designed to screen limited amounts of cargo during off-peak periods and involves using existing resources, technology and personnel.
Legislative and Regulatory Framework
Responsibility for aviation security in Canada is shared among several Government of Canada departments and agencies, as well as airlines and airport authorities. CATSA, as the aviation security screening authority for Canada, is regulated by Transport Canada. CATSA operates in a regulated and integrated environment and is subject to both domestic legislation and international regulations including: the CATSA Act; the Financial Administration Act (FAA), Part X; the Aeronautics Act; the Accessible Canada Act, the Official Languages Act, and the Canadian Aviation Security Regulations, 2012.
As the regulator, Transport Canada is responsible for developing civil aviation security screening measures that govern the technologies and procedures that CATSA may use in carrying out its mandate. Technologies are informed by standards adopted by international partners including the United States TSA and the European Civil Aviation Conference. In addition, Transport Canada monitors changes introduced by international partners, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization, and assesses the impact of future regulations on Canada’s aviation security system. This permits CATSA’s operations to remain adaptable to the evolving aviation landscape.
Governance Model
In 2019, the Government of Canada enacted the Security Screening Services Commercialization Act (SSSCA), which enabled the potential sale of CATSA to a new designated screening authority (DSA). Once incorporated, the DSA, made up of representatives from airlines and airports, initiated negotiations with Transport Canada. During the pandemic, the negotiations were suspended. In 2023/24, Transport Canada confirmed that negotiations had been formally terminated on this matter. Therefore, CATSA will remain a Crown corporation, reporting to Parliament through the Minister of Transport.