In May 2018, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) began developing Air Passenger Protection Regulations that will establish airline obligations toward passengers, including minimum compensation levels and standards of treatment in different circumstances.

The CTA consulted broadly for three months with the travelling public, consumer rights groups, and the airline industry through a variety of channels, including public sessions across the country, on-line questionnaires, surveys of passengers in airports, face-to-face meetings with key experts and stakeholders, and the receipt of written submissions and comments. The CTA has taken all this input into account in drafting the regulations.

The regulations are not yet final or in effect. The proposed regulations are now published in Part I of the Canada Gazette for a 60-day comment period that started on December 22, 2018.

The CTA will review all feedback received and may make adjustments based on it. Once the final regulations are made by the CTA and approved by the Governor in Council (Cabinet), they’ll be published in Part II of the Canada Gazette. The regulations are expected to come into force in Summer 2019.