ALPA Canada Calls on Canada’s Transport Ministers to Strengthen Aviation Safety
Ottawa, Ont.—Today, as Canada’s Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers of Transport assemble for their annual meeting to discuss critical issues across the air, land, and marine sectors, Canada’s airline pilots renew their calls on the Ministers to take decisive action to strengthen—not roll back—critical safety protections for air travel to ensure a safe, well-trained, and well-rested workforce.
Following extensive research, consultation, and careful analysis, ALPA Canada, in conjunction with the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association (CATCA), released a White Paper, Charting a Flight Path for the Future of Canadian Aviation, that underscores the aviation sector’s essential role in Canada: enabling resupply and medical services to remote and northern communities, supporting economic activity in major hubs, facilitating leisure travel, and transporting perishable goods to global markets. Taken together, these functions underscore aviation’s role as critical national infrastructure, fundamental to Canada’s economic resilience, security, and social well-being.
“In their pursuit of cost-cutting or convenience, air operators often ask for more flexibility in the rules. However, safety is not only a regulatory obligation—it is a strategic asset and a global competitive advantage for Canadian aviation,” notes Capt. Tim Perry, ALPA Canada President. “Strong safety performance underpins public confidence, international trust, and market access, and it is the most important factor in ensuring the sector can thrive and remain economically viable and profitable over the long term.”
Canadian aviation, which has long been recognized for its high safety standards, cannot afford weakened safety measures, such as our Flight Time and Duty Time regulations, for cost-cutting purposes. Canada’s poor performance at its latest ICAO audit should function as a reminder that aviation safety should never be taken for granted and that no cost-driven compromises should be tolerated.
“System reliability and safety must be achieved through deliberate design, which includes consultation with all stakeholders, including ALPA Canada, at the table,” continued Capt. Perry. “A cornerstone of any safety system must include the perspective of those operating within the regulatory framework, which Canadian professional pilots do every single day.”
At the conclusion of the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Transport Ministers’ meeting, ALPA Canada will be looking for specific language in the Ministerial Communique, signed by all Ministers, which affirms no rollback of critical aviation safety measures in favour of increasing operators’ bottom lines, while acknowledging an agreement on further improvements to aviation safety.
Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.
-###-
CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org
Featured Articles
