Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the committee.
I am also chair of the Canadian Airports Council's large airports caucus.
I am pleased to appear before you today to discuss the future of security screening service delivery in Canadian airports, and seize with you the unique opportunity that is being given us to implement positive changes for our clients and the air transport industry as a whole.
In fact, we collectively subscribe to the Airports Council International and International Air Transport Association's vision where passengers will one day have an uninterrupted journey from curb to aircraft door, where passengers pass through the security checkpoint with minimal need to divest, where security resources are allocated based on risk and where airport amenities can be maximized.
Former transport minister, Lisa Raitt, also raised the issue in 2014 when she asked that Mr. Emerson opine on the ability of CATSA to meet the challenges of increasing demands with limited resources.
The problem this bill aims to solve is not new. Several governments have in turn attempted to find a solution to the problems posed by CATSA and its funding model. In the Canada Transportation Act review report tabled by David Emerson in 2016, there are several recommendations on the CATSA model.
We are pleased that Minister Garneau has taken these recommendations to heart and intends to make security screening more responsible in the context of reaching an internationally competitive service standard and providing sustainable funding that is better adapted to the situation, while seeking to improve safety and passenger experience.
Obviously the security screening service commercialization act does not go into detail on how a new DSA will become a world leader in security, service and value for money that will support the overall, long-term competitiveness of air transport in Canada.
We raise the following concerns regarding the charging principles as written in the proposed act and therefore require some clarifications.
The first is uncertainty of the DSA's obligation or right to impose charges on non-passenger persons required to undergo screening. The second is that the principle that DSA must observe to establish, revise or terminate charges is somehow contradictory and appears to preclude the DSA from innovating and fostering innovation. In order for the new DSA to succeed, airports will be relentless in demanding that passenger screening service standards be world class.
Our ability to achieve such standards will depend on many factors that will require further discussion and concurrence before we can agree upon a transfer date. Notably, the first is that Transport Canada, the regulator of DSA, commit to undertake a review of all current aviation security regulations pertaining to security screening of passengers, non-passengers and baggage, and report back to this committee in government within a timeline to be agreed upon with the industry.
We need to ensure that regulations will move security screening to an intelligence-driven, risk-based approach that will permit the DSA to leverage proven technologies and existing trusted traveller programs such as Nexus and Global Entry to achieve performance standards in security and customer service that are comparable to the best international aviation practices.
We also need to ensure that the price asked by Finance or Transport Canada for the transfer of assets from CATSA to a new DSA will not be a debt burden that impedes the DSA's ability to provide, within 12 months, a world-class service standard at a cost to passengers no greater than the current air travellers security charge; and that the air travellers security charge should no longer apply, thereby ensuring that a new funding source of the DSA will not contribute to increasing the cost of flying in Canada.
We respectfully request that the enabling legislation required to effect the transfer of CATSA to a DSA proceed. This legislation is a critical first step if we are to meet our collective goal, which is the creation of a nimble, innovative, customer-service-driven organization that ensures a safe and secure, efficient and professional experience for all travellers.
Once this law has been passed, we commit to working diligently to set up a dedicated screening administration that will correspond to what Canadian air passengers, airlines and airports have been asking for for years.
Thank you, Madam Chair.