As the federal authority responsible for screening at eighty-nine designated airports across Canada, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) remains focused on its mandate of civil aviation security screening.
Supported by a dedicated team of screening officers engaged through service agreements with third-party screening contractors, CATSA expects to screen 69.1 million passengers in 2023/24, surpassing pre-pandemic volumes and reflecting a nearly 20% increase from the 57.6 million passengers screened in 2022/23. It is anticipated that passenger traffic will increase further over the coming years, with an estimated 73.1 million passengers screened in 2024/25, and 78.8 million in 2025/26.
While CATSA experienced elevated wait time service levels in spring and summer 2022, the organization quickly responded, working collaboratively with industry partners to prepare for increased passenger traffic and any disruptions to the civil aviation ecosystem. Despite the early challenges, in 2022/23 CATSA delivered an annual wait time service level where 88.6% of passengers waited less than 15 minutes to be screened at Class 1 airports. For the first nine months of 2023/24, CATSA delivered an annual wait time service level of 94.4%.
CATSA will continue to focus on key initiatives and innovations during the planning period intended to support and advance achievement of strategic objectives in three principal areas:
- Service excellence and continued innovation – prioritize effective, efficient and evolving security and an outstanding passenger experience.
- A diverse and engaged workforce – recruit and retain diverse talent in a competitive labour market while promoting employee success and well-being in an inclusive environment.
- Effective and proactive partnerships – engage in proactive partner collaboration, consultation and community relations.
More specifically, CATSA will emphasize the following priority initiatives over the planning period:
- Meet or exceed the security effectiveness target;
- Purchase and deploy new innovative screening technologies;
- Achieve an improved wait time service level where, on average, 95% of all passengers wait less than 15 minutes to be screened at Class 1 airports on an annual basis (95/15);
- Implement changes to non-passenger screening to address upcoming amendments to security measures set by Transport Canada;
- Implement new Airport Screening Services Agreements (ASSAs) effective April 2024;
- Promote risk-based approaches to security screening;
- Deliver a positive screening experience for all passengers;
- Expand efforts, engagements and consultations aimed at supporting Government of Canada priorities;
- Continue to collaborate and share information with partners in order to facilitate a better overall passenger journey;
- Continue to explore the application of advanced analytic techniques and artificial intelligence; and
- Enhance employee engagement, development and well-being.
As part of Budget 2023, CATSA was provided with supplemental funding over three years starting in 2023/24, which provides an element of stability for the organization throughout 2024/25 and 2025/26, and encourages a more integrated, long-term view to strategic planning. Additional funding will be necessary in 2026/27 and beyond for CATSA to deliver its mandated activities and implement its strategic plan.