Ban on Hand-held Lasers Near Airports

Summary#

The Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Lasers) make it illegal to possess small hand-held lasers above 1 milliwatt (mW) in certain places near airports and in parts of three large urban regions. The rule came into force on June 10, 2020 and lets enforcement officers issue fines instead of having to catch someone actually shining a laser at an aircraft.

What it does#

• Makes permanent a ban on possession of hand-held lasers with output greater than 1 milliwatt (mW):
  • within a 10-km radius of the geometric centre of any airport or heliport in Canada; and
  • inside the municipalities of the Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver regions listed below.
• Lists the municipalities covered:
  • Montréal region: Boucherville; Côte-Saint‑Luc; Dollard‑des‑Ormeaux; Dorval; Hampstead; Laval; Longueuil; Montréal; Montréal‑Est; Montréal‑Ouest; Pointe‑Claire; Rosemère; Saint‑Lambert; Westmount.
  • Toronto region: Brampton; Halton Hills; Markham; Mississauga; Toronto; Vaughan.
  • Vancouver region: Burnaby; Coquitlam; Delta; New Westminster; North Vancouver (City); Port Coquitlam; Richmond; Vancouver.
• Creates a clear enforcement tool. Officers can issue Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) for possession in these areas. The maximum penalties are $5,000 for an individual and $25,000 for a corporation.
• Allows specific exceptions. The ban does not apply when a laser is:
  • inside a dwelling-house, or
  • being moved between a dwelling-house and the place of purchase or between dwelling-houses, or
  • possessed for legitimate reasons such as occupational, business or educational use, transport in the course of employment, or use by a member of an astronomy society.

Who's affected#

• Pilots, flight crews and passengers benefit because the rule targets behaviour that can distract or blind pilots.
• People living in or visiting areas inside a 10-km radius of any airport or heliport, and residents of the listed municipalities in the Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver regions, must avoid carrying hand-held lasers over 1 mW in those places unless an exception applies.
• Law enforcement officers and Transport Canada will use AMPs to enforce the rule more often.
• Amateur astronomers, some workers, teachers, retailers and others who legitimately use lasers are affected by the rule’s exceptions; they can still possess lasers under the listed conditions.

Why it matters#

• Pointing a laser at an aircraft can temporarily blind or distract pilots, especially during take-off and landing. That creates a real safety risk for everyone onboard.
• Making possession of powerful hand-held lasers illegal in high-risk areas makes it easier to deter and punish potential offenders. Officers can issue fines without having to prove who actually shone a beam at a plane.
• The change aims to reduce the hundreds of laser incidents reported to aviation authorities each year, improve public safety around airports, and align Canada with international efforts to address laser attacks.