Liberals table bill meant to make transportation sector more efficient

The federal government has put forward legislation that it says aims to make the country's transportation sector more efficient, transparent and accountable.

Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra introduced Bill C-52, the Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Transportation System Act, on Tuesday just before the House plans to rise for the summer.

This bill will introduce the Air Transportation Accountability Act, which would require airports and service providers within airports to set passenger service standards. These could include how long it should take for a bag to arrive on the carousel or the expected wait time to get through security.

Alghabra said there will be "consequences" for service providers who do not meet the standards, but did not disclose what they would be.

He said this new "shared accountability framework" will ensure all providers strive to meet the standards because they are "highly interdependent."

"The idea is that once you set a service standard, then airports will be accountable to airlines, airlines will be accountable to airports, Nav Canada will be accountable to airports," said Alghabra.

Bill C-52 will also create a process for airports to notify and consult the public on changes to airspace design that could affect aircraft noise. Federally incorporated airports will also be required to report on diversity among senior management and all airports will have to issue reports on pollution reduction plans.

"As we've seen over the last few years, a disruption in one part of the system can have wide effects across the entire network, in fact across the entire globe," said Alghabra.

"We want to ensure the needs of Canadians are met."

Calls for change in transportation sector

This announcement comes almost two months after the federal government tabled legislation to overhaul the air passenger rights charter.

Disruptions over the post-pandemic winter and summer travel months prompted changes meant to close compensation loopholes and toughen penalties for airlines.

Critics of this legislation, including opposition parties and the National Airlines Council, have said the protections it provides are not good enough for passengers and more responsibility must be placedon allservice providers not just airlines.

The Air Transportation Accountability Act answers these calls for shared accountability, said Alghabra.

It also built upon other changes made this year to improve the air travel experience in Canada, he said. These include the new Verified Traveler Program meant to streamline the airport security check-in process and an extra $1.8 billion over the next five years for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA).

Proposed amendments to legislation

Bill C-52 would also introduce changes to two pieces of legislation the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Marine Act.

To help make transportation more accessible for people with disabilities, the bill would require service providers to collect and report accessibility data to the government. This would respond to the Auditor General's 2023 report accessible transportation for persons with disabilities which showed a need for oversight on accessible transportation in Canada.

It would also require Canada Port Authorities to be more transparent about how they set port fees by creating certain principles they must follow when establishing or changing these fees. It will also create a process for people to challenge these fees through the Canadian Transportation Agency.