C-52 44th Parliament, 1st session November 22, 2021, to present

A legislative summary is currently being prepared for this bill by the Parliamentary Information, Education and Research Services of the Library of Parliament. Meanwhile, the following executive summary is available.

On 20 June 2023, the Minister of Transport introduced Bill C-52, An Act to enact the Air Transportation Accountability Act and to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Marine Act (Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Transportation System Act), and it was given first reading.

Part 1 of this enactment enacts the Air Transportation Accountability Act, which creates a statutory framework to increase transparency and accountability in the air transportation sector, including by

(a) establishing requirements respecting the provision of information to the Minister of Transport by airport operators, air carriers and any entity providing flight-related services;

(b) requiring that airport operators take measures to help Canada meet its international obligations in respect of aeronautics, in accordance with directions issued by the Minister of Transport;

(c) authorizing the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting the development and implementation of service standards related to flights and flight-related services, including a dispute resolution process in respect of their development and publication requirements for information related to compliance with those standards;

(d) establishing requirements in respect of noise management committees and setting out notice and consultation requirements relating to aircraft noise;

(e) establishing requirements for airport authorities to create plans respecting climate change and climate change preparedness and authorizing the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting reporting requirements for those plans;

(f) requiring airport authorities to publish information respecting diversity among directors and senior management;

(g) providing a process by which to make complaints respecting notice and consultation requirements in relation to aircraft noise; and

(h) providing for an administration and enforcement mechanism that includes an administrative monetary penalty framework.

Part 2 amends the Canada Transportation Act to, among other things,

(a) authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations requiring certain persons to provide information for the purpose of supporting a transportation system that is accessible without undue obstacle to the mobility of all persons;

(b) allow the Minister of Transport and the Canadian Transportation Agency to make this information public; and

(c) authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting a process for dealing with complaints relating to accessibility in relation to the transportation of persons with disabilities.

Part 3 amends the Canada Marine Act to, among other things,

(a) add principles that a port authority must observe when fixing port fees and a fee-related complaints process that is to be administered by the Canadian Transportation Agency;

(b) authorize the Governor in Council to make regulations respecting alternative dispute resolution in regards to disputes arising in respect of a lease relating to the operation of a port terminal; and

(c) allow the Agency to make rules respecting the fees to be paid in relation to the administration or enforcement of any provision of Part 1 of that Act, or the regulations under that Part, the administration or enforcement of which is the responsibility of the Agency.