ICAO-aligned Amendments to Aviation Regulations

Summary#

The final rule SOR/2025-226, titled Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (ICAO-related Amendments), updates the Canadian Aviation Regulations to align them with international aviation standards set by ICAO. It adds new safety steps (for example, pilot read-backs and clearer pilot-in-command authority), document carriage requirements, and some oversight rules; most changes take effect on publication (November 19, 2025) and a number of them come into force one year later (November 19, 2026).

What it does#

• Requires pilots to read back certain safety instructions received by voice and to state which Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) message they have, while allowing electronic acknowledgement in some cases.
• Clarifies that the pilot in command (PIC) is responsible for the aircraft and may deviate from some rules in an emergency.
• Requires aircraft to carry a copy (paper or electronic) of the radio station licence when one has been issued for that aircraft. That specific carriage rule is enforceable with administrative monetary penalties of up to $1,000 for an individual and $5,000 for a corporation.
• Brings Canadian rules into line with international terminology and practices for extended diversion time operations (replacing ETOPS with EDTO and updating related references).
• Tightens oversight of medical examiners: foreign examiners must be designated under Canada’s system (so only credentialled examiners’ reports are accepted).
• Requires air operators that use an aircraft operating manual (instead of the manufacturer’s flight manual) to include aircraft performance and certificated noise levels in those manuals.
• Adds a regulatory requirement for the air traffic services provider to assess capacity, staffing and to implement air traffic flow management (ATFM) when needed; a standard (incorporated by reference) sets the details.
• Makes smaller editorial and technical corrections, and adjusts classifications for certain in-flight incidents (for example reclassifying “display or use of a weapon”).

Who's affected#

• Pilots and flight crews — new read-back duties and clearer PIC authority.
• Air operators of various sizes, including those operating under Subparts covering air taxi, commuter and airline operations — manual updates and some document carriage changes.
• NAV CANADA — must document ATFM practices and provide information to Transport Canada on request.
• Foreign medical examiners and pilots who get medicals abroad — only designated Canadian examiners’ reports will be accepted.
• Small aviation businesses — the government estimates about 231 small businesses will be affected by the radio licence carriage rule.
• Transport Canada inspectors — will review and approve updated manuals and perform oversight.
• Remotely piloted aircraft operators — two technical corrections affect notification wording in related provisions.

Why it matters#

• Safety: Read-backs and clearer PIC authority reduce the chance of miscommunication that can lead to runway or traffic conflicts.
• International compliance: These changes respond to gaps identified by international audit and aim to keep Canada aligned with ICAO. That reduces the risk other countries might impose restrictions or extra checks on Canadian operators.
• Practical impact: Most changes require modest paperwork or manual updates. The government estimates total present-value costs of about $0.29 million over ten years. Individual burdens are generally small.
• Enforcement: Failure to carry a radio licence (when one exists for the aircraft) can draw an administrative monetary penalty up to $1,000 (individual) or $5,000 (corporation).
• Where it may bite: Requiring foreign medical examiners to be designated could make getting medicals outside Canada slightly harder for some pilots until enough foreign examiners are designated. The regulatory text and the accompanying analysis provide implementation timing to allow industry to adapt.