Amendments to the Secure Air Travel Regulations (SATR)
Enabling Acts
Secure Air Travel Act (SATA); Aeronautics Act.
Description
Sections 3(1) and 4 of the SATR require that air carriers verify the identity of each passenger, who appears to be 18 years or older. These sections list specific types of physical identification that are acceptable. With advancements in technologies, air carriers are looking to leverage digital identification and biometric verification to facilitate the movement of travelers through the travel continuum and many are in the process of developing pilot projects to test this new technology.
Public Safety Canada is working in close coordination with Transport Canada (TC) who is leading on this initiative through the Air Right Touch Initiative.
Section 4 states gender as a criteria in verification of identity. The practice of requiring airlines to validate the gender of a passenger is no longer aligned with Canada's passport requirements. Removing the requirement for airline industry to confirm gender based on a passenger's appearance aligns with the ability for an individual to not disclose their gender on their travel document and would reduce stigmatization and discrimination of LGBTQI2 travelers, who can currently be pulled aside to provide more documentation to validate their identity.
Potential impacts on Canadians, including businesses
These amendments would primarily impact air carriers, TC and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA).
Canadians will notice a difference in the identity verification process at the airport at various critical points such as at check-in and at the time of boarding a plane.
Regulatory cooperation efforts (domestic and international)
Flights that depart from Canadian aerodromes and that are conducted by air carriers, are subject to Canadian Aviation Regulations.
Consultations
As lead on the Air Right Touch initiative, TC will be consulting directly with Industry, CATSA and other partners.
Public Safety, under the legislative authority of SATA and SATR, will be working with TC to lead on drafting the amendments and all the relevant submissions.
Proposed changes would be consulted with the industry through the Canada Gazette.
Further information
N/A
Departmental contact information
Public Safety Canada
Mathilde Briere-Audet
Manager - Counter Terrorism Policy and Programs |
mathilde.briere-audet@ps-sp.gc.ca
Transport Canada
Lilianne Lebrun
Senior Aviation Policy Advisor/Acting Manager
Aviation Security, Transport Canada
lilianne.lebrun@tc.gc.ca
Date the regulatory initiative was first included in the Forward Regulatory Plan
April 2024.
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