Corporate Plan 2025-26 to 2029-30 Summary

Planning and Results

CATSA’s strategic objectives are categorized within four overarching pillars:

  • Invest in our people for tomorrow;
  • Drive innovation;
  • Promote an integrated aviation ecosystem; and
  • Elevate the client experience.

Objectives and Activities

Strategic Pillar: Invest in our people for tomorrow

Investment in CATSA’s workforce and in the third-party screening officer workforce is invaluable to its ability to achieve its objectives. CATSA utilizes various strategies and programs to recruit and retain a group of engaged, skilled and specialized employees, and to create an inclusive, diverse, and engaged work environment.

Priority 1: Nurture an inclusive environment that fosters excellence and engagement

CATSA is committed to providing and promoting a positive work environment and pursuing a well-balanced workforce that reflects the diversity of Canada and meets CATSA’s organizational needs, and will:

  • Foster a flexible, inclusive, and respectful workplace that supports employee needs, and upholds CATSA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion;
  • Prioritize and supporting the overall health and well-being of the organization’s workforce;
  • Ensure the development and support of screening officers through new and innovative training content and delivery, as well as communications materials;
  • Integrate Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) principles within its decision-making processes and the delivery of services through the implementation of the initiatives of the GBA Plus Action Plan;
  • Implement CATSA’s Official Languages Action Plan, which includes promoting and supporting the use of both official languages in the workplace and at security screening checkpoints in airports designated bilingual, including the delivery of second language training to CATSA employees;
  • Implement the organization’s Human Resources Strategic Plan, including a refreshed wellness program and revised Employee Recognition Program, to promote employee engagement and to create an environment that celebrates success; and
  • Revisit strategies and measures outlined in the various action plans at their renewal (official languages, employment equity, GBA Plus and accessibility), with a particular focus on groups or areas where under-representation exists.

Priority 2: Be an employer of choice

To attract and retain a dedicated and passionate workforce, CATSA will focus on the following efforts during the planning period:

  • Complete a comprehensive capacity and resource planning exercise, with the objective of aligning CATSA’s organizational structure with its strategic priorities;
  • Implement the five-year workforce plan centered on attracting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce, reducing the risk of extended vacancies in critical positions through robust succession management, enhancing employee engagement, as well as meeting the learning and professional development needs of employees;
  • Adopt human resources practices that support fairness and diversity in hiring, compensation, and advancement through the implementation of the Employment Equity Plan and Pay Equity Plan; and
  • Expand CATSA’s robust leadership development program, including a focus on leadership principles and performance management initiatives focused on leadership behaviours.

Diversity and Inclusion Network
CATSA’s Diversity and Inclusion Network (DIN) promotes and supports positive workplace practices and organizational priorities reflecting the principles of employment equity, diversity and inclusion. The advisory group is comprised of employees from various branches who strive to foster a fair, respectful, equitable and inclusive working environment.

Strategic Pillar: Drive innovation

CATSA embraces innovation through a problem-solving mindset, agility, new processes, and technology. With a renewed commitment to sharing our success both internally and externally, the organization will create an environment where innovation, curiosity, and outside-the-box thinking is not only valued, but celebrated.

Priority 1: Enhance security effectiveness and screening efficiency

Due to the dynamic nature of the aviation industry, including evolving threats and regulatory changes, it is necessary for CATSA to prioritize investments in a number of key areas to deliver effective and efficient security screening services. Over the planning period, CATSA will:

  • Execute the screening technology roadmap to guide customer experience and technological innovation over the next ten years;
  • Deploy pre-board screening enhancements including the new full body scanners (FBS), the replacement of X-ray equipment with computed tomography (CT) X-ray technology at major airports, and the launch of Modular CATSA Plus;
  • Explore the application of advanced analytic techniques, artificial intelligence, and biometrics to enhance oversight, screening operations and training programs;
  • Enhance security effectiveness of existing screening equipment with latest software upgrades and improved detection algorithms;
  • Ensure the development and support of screening officers through new and innovative training content and delivery, as well as communications materials; and
  • Collaborate with the maintenance service provider and equipment manufacturers to ensure all screening equipment is well maintained and that repairs are performed as efficiently as possible.

CT X-ray Technology
During the planning period, CATSA will replace X-ray equipment at PBS checkpoints at major airports with CT technology. This initiative is the next phase of CATSA’s plan to transform the passenger experience while increasing security effectiveness. CT technology is the most significant enhancement to the passenger screening experience since CATSA Plus, allowing for permitted liquids, gels, and aerosols (below 100ml), medical devices, and large electronics to remain in carry-on baggage throughout the screening process. This project is the biggest public-facing screening equipment deployment to-date in terms of scope and resource requirements.

Priority 2: Champion forward-thinking solutions

CATSA fosters a culture of innovation that promotes and celebrates new ideas, novel processes, and the adoption of new technologies to solve emerging challenges. The organization will:

  • Execute remote oversight and modelling related to changes to non-passenger screening as well as additional remote screening opportunities; Implement next generation technologies and procedures to enhance processing efficiency, including the use of artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and biometrics;
  • Support the responsible use of artificial intelligence to streamline internal business processes; and
  • Promote a culture of innovation, utilizing the Innovation Exchange to increase employee awareness and share in CATSA’s success in developing solutions to new and emerging challenges.

Strategic Pillar: Promote an integrated aviation ecosystem

Through collaboration and information sharing, CATSA will implement process improvements and realize opportunities for alignment across the aviation ecosystem. The organization will work with its partners to provide the best possible experience to its clients, support ecosystem efficiency, and improve security effectiveness.

Priority 1: Maximize opportunities for collective engagement

CATSA will expand engagement and collaboration with its partners in the pursuit of common goals and objectives, and to ensure the aviation industry continues to thrive. The organization will also leverage its relationships with partners in the international community, proactively sharing information and plans for future innovations. As part of this important work, CATSA will:

  • Work with airport authorities to optimize checkpoints and increase screening capacity, where operationally feasible;
  • Collaborate with industry partners to identify opportunities for efficiency, including maximizing the use of physical space at airports and prioritizing the responsible use of public funds;
  • Undertake initiatives with members of the broader community, including Indigenous Elders, accessibility and diversity special interest groups, the 2SLGBTQI+ community, and official language minority communities; and
  • Demonstrate climate leadership by reporting on progress towards climate targets through annual Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures
In support of the Government of Canada’s objectives outlined in Budget 2021, CATSA has adopted the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). TCFD disclosures include four topics: governance, strategy, risk management, as well as metrics and targets. Progress towards climate priorities and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets will be reported annually. In addition, in 2025/26, the next Climate-related Risk and Opportunity Assessment will be undertaken.

Priority 2: Advance industry harmonization and share best practices

To maintain strong and positive working relationships with its partners and the Government of Canada, and to advance common goals and interests, CATSA will:

  • Work with the Government of Canada to secure sustainable long-term funding for CATSA’s operations and capital investments beyond 2025/26;
  • Actively engage partners to find efficiencies and facilitate a better overall client experience;
  • Provide security screening services on a cost-recovery basis to interested designated and non-designated airports or other industry partners such as air carriers, subject to the approval of the Minister of Transport;
  • Work collaboratively with airport authorities to evaluate and standardize approaches to queue offerings; and
  • Expand upon automated data collection and reporting programs.

Montreal Metropolitan Airport (MET)
CATSA continues to work with MET in supporting the launch of commercial operationsas part of the cost recovery framework established in the CATSA Act, subject to the approval of Transport Canada.

Strategic Pillar: Elevate the client experience

CATSA will create a reliable, consistent, respectful, and barrier-free screening experience for all of our clients at designated airports across the country, and is wholly committed to learning from our clients to elevate the end-to-end experience.

Priority 1: Deliver continuous improvement for our clients

CATSA is dedicated to securing critical elements of the air transportation system while enhancing the client experience. The organization will:

  • Maintain annual wait-time service levels where 95% of passengers wait less than 15 minutes to be screened (95/15);
  • Implement CATSA’s Service Strategy;
  • Explore options that enable CATSA’s goal to become global leaders in screening checkpoint accessibility; and
  • Improve screening capacity through additional screening equipment deployments, checkpoint optimizations, and lifecycle management.

Priority 2: Engage the community

Engagement allows us to conduct operations with a deeper understanding of the needs of the clients we serve. To foster positive relationships and deliver a security screening experience built on a foundation of public trust, CATSA will:

  • Outline improvements to air travel accessibility in accordance with CATSA’s 2025/26 Accessibility Plan;
  • Undertake initiatives with members of the broader community, including Indigenous Elders, accessibility and diversity special interest groups, the 2SLGBTQI+ community, and official language minority communities; and
  • Communicate important information to enhance the end-to-end passenger journey.

CATSA’s commitment to enhancing accessibility
Driven by CATSA’s strategic pillars, the organization will improve the screening experience by identifying and removing barriers in checkpoint design. In 2025/26, CATSA will lead or support engagements with community members, industry partners, its workforce, facilitators and screening technology manufacturers creating a prime opportunity for participants to provide feedback on the organization’s concepts for a best-in-class accessible screening line. These engagements will also increase awareness and communication among aviation partners in support of the enhancement of the end-to-end journey.

Date modified: