Passenger Protect Program changes

Summary#

These are proposed changes to the Secure Air Travel Regulations and the Designated Provisions Regulations. They would tweak how the federal government’s Passenger Protect Program works, give some air carriers more time to move to the new system, and clarify rules about collecting a traveller’s Canadian Travel Number (CTN). The notice was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on May 14, 2022 and invites comments for 30 days.

What it does#

• Clarifies that air carriers must give travellers the chance to provide their Canadian Travel Number (CTN) when booking and at check-in, and must collect it when provided.
• Lets the federal government collect passenger data that an air carrier voluntarily sends for flights that would otherwise be outside the rules.
• Removes the requirement for air carriers to resend passenger information at check-in if nothing has changed since the data sent 72 hours before departure.
• Narrows when air carriers must contact Transport Canada’s operations centre during a system outage — only significant changes that affect name/date-of-birth screening or changes to a CTN need to be reported.
• Extends the deadline for air carriers to permanently delete older copies of the SATA list from November 4, 2022 to March 4, 2023 (four-month extension).
• Adds a specific penalty entry in the Designated Provisions Regulations so the Minister of Transport can fine carriers that fail to offer or collect CTNs as required.
• Makes a small editorial correction for consistency between English and French texts.

Who's affected#

• Primarily passenger air carriers that fly to, from, or within Canada (about 100 carriers are covered by the Passenger Protect Program).
• Travellers who might share a name with someone on Canada’s security list. Offering a CTN helps reduce false matches and travel delays for them.
• Federal agencies involved in the program, including Public Safety Canada, Transport Canada, and the Canada Border Services Agency, because they run or rely on the centralized screening system.
• The changes are minor and the government says no special impacts are expected for Indigenous communities or small businesses.

Why it matters#

• It aims to cut pointless data work for airlines by stopping duplicate transmissions at check-in. That can speed up processing and reduce errors.
• It helps travellers who have names similar to people on the security list by encouraging use of the CTN, which can prevent wrongful delays or extra checks.
• The short extension to March 4, 2023 gives carriers hit by COVID-19 more time to finish technical changes and move onto the government’s centralized screening system.
• Clarifying what data the government may collect and when carriers need to call during outages reduces confusion and the risk of unnecessary data handling or too many outage calls.