New 150 m Runway End Safety Areas

Summary#

These final rules, the Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Parts I, III and VI — RESA), require longer safety areas at the ends of certain runways. They take effect on January 5, 2022, with a few parts delayed until January 5, 2026.

What it does#

• Requires a runway end safety area (RESA) of at least 150 m beyond each runway end for runways used by scheduled commercial passenger flights at qualifying airports.
• Applies the rule to airports that have at least 325,000 combined enplaned and deplaned passengers per year for two consecutive calendar years.
• Gives airports already over the threshold (a table of 12 airports) three years from publication to meet the RESA requirement. Other airports must hit the 325,000 threshold for two years and then have three years to comply.
• Lets airport operators meet the rule in different ways:
  • prepare or clear land to create the extra 90 m (so the total safety area becomes 150 m including the existing 60 m runway safety area);
  • reduce declared runway distances (ASDA, LDA, TORA) by up to 90 m;
  • install an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS); or
  • use a combination of the above.
• Requires the airport operator to tell Transport Canada how it will comply no later than 90 days before the end of its compliance period.
• Allows the Minister to order an operator to reduce declared runway distances if they fail to comply.
• Includes enforcement tools and administrative penalties (maximums shown for some contraventions are $3,000 for individuals and $15,000 for corporations).

Who's affected#

• The rule targets airport operators and passengers at busier Canadian airports. It applies only to runways used for scheduled passenger flights.
• The 12 airports named in the regulation (listed here as they appear in the table) are:
  • Calgary International (CYYC)
  • Edmonton International (CYEG)
  • Halifax (Robert L. Stanfield International) (CYHZ)
  • Kelowna International (CYLW)
  • Montréal — Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (CYUL)
  • Ottawa (Macdonald-Cartier International) (CYOW)
  • Québec (Jean Lesage International) (CYQB)
  • Saskatoon (John G. Diefenbaker International) (CYXE)
  • Toronto (Lester B. Pearson International) (CYYZ)
  • Vancouver International (CYVR)
  • Victoria International (CYYJ)
  • Winnipeg (James Armstrong Richardson International) (CYWG)
• Other airports will be affected later if their passenger totals, as reported by Statistics Canada, reach 325,000 per year for two consecutive years.
• Airlines, pilots and passengers at affected airports could notice operational changes if declared distances are reduced or weight/cargo limits are adjusted. Emergency responders may see improved access in overrun/undershoot incidents.

Why it matters#

• RESAs are flat, obstacle‑free areas beyond runway ends that reduce the damage and injuries if an aircraft overruns or undershoots the runway. Increasing the end area to 150 m aims to contain about 90% of such events, compared with roughly 53% with the current 60 m minimum.
• Transport Canada’s analysis estimates quantified benefits of about $4,981,482 over 20 years and estimated costs of about $26,586,697 over 20 years (most costs concentrated at one airport with difficult terrain). These figures show safety gains but also real construction and operational costs for some airports.
• The rule gives airports flexibility (land work, declared-distance changes, or EMAS) to meet the safety objective. Some options, like reducing declared distances, can affect aircraft payload or operations; EMAS installations can be costly but are used where land is limited.
• If an airport does not meet the rule, the Minister can require shorter declared runway distances, which can directly affect airline operations and possibly passenger/cargo loads.