Canadian Government Allots $76M to Address Passenger Complaints

Canadian Government Allots $76M to Address Passenger Complaints

March 14, 2023 ctn_admin

The Government of Canada has announced nearly $76 million in additional funding to address a major backlog of passenger rights complaints.

At a press conference at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the Honorable Omar Alghabra, announced $75.9 million in additional funding over three years, starting in 2023-24, to ensure the Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) has the resources to address passenger rights complaints, and strengthen the operation of the federal transportation network, enabling the Agency to efficiently deliver on its mandate for Canadians.

For example, the new funding will make it possible to hire more employees to deal with complaints.

In 2019, for the first time in Canadian history, an air passenger rights regime, called the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR), was implemented to clarify minimum requirements and compensation based on whether an airline has control over the disruption or not. During the pandemic, the government strengthened these rights to include refunds for situations outside the airline’s control, including major weather events or a pandemic.

The funding announced today will help strengthen passenger rights by giving the Agency additional resources to carry out its mandate and reduce the backlog of existing complaints.

The Government of Canada is also working on significant reforms to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations to ensure passenger rights are even more protected. These changes will place Canada at the forefront of passenger protections globally and, together with other steps to be taken, will help prevent the frustrating passenger experiences of last summer and over the holiday season.The Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator with the mandate to help ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently, smoothly and is accessible in the interests of all Canadians.

The Agency is responsible for enforcing the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, which came fully into force in 2019.

In 2022, new regulations on refund requirements for flight cancellations or lengthy delays outside of an air carrier’s control came into force.

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