Air Connectivity and Airport Infrastructure in Northern Canada

• Main Authors: de Barros, Alexandre G., Coelho Lopes, Marcela, Sahnoon, Iyad
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Calgary 2023
• Subjects: Arctic; Climate change
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/sppp/article/view/75914

To analyze the existing air transportation infrastructure that could potentially benefit from the Canadian Northern Corridor, a list of remote communities was obtained and investigated. A total of 182 communities have been assessed by Transport Canada or the provinces and territories, of which 146 are located inside the proposed Canadian Northern Corridor area. These communities are the focus of our study to answer the following questions: What is the current level of air transportation infrastructure and services? What are the existing federal and territorial regarding northern and arctic air connectivity? What is the potential impact of climate change on air transportation systems in northern Canada? Policies and Legislation In Canada, air transportation is regulated by the federal government. As such, there are no provincial or territorial policies regarding air transportation. Air transportation services in Canada are not subject to any economic regulations. Airlines and aircraft operators in general are free to set routes and fares as they wish – subject to operational safety regulations. As such, air services in the North are generally subject to supply and demand. The Airport Transfer (Miscellaneous Matters) Act that created the National Airports System made no special provisions for airports in Northern Canada. The Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialisation Act transferred the operation of air navigation services to a private, not-for-profit corporation named NAV Canada. The act includes provisions for the continuance of air navigation services in northern and remote communities, requiring NAV Canada to give advance notice of any changes in service that could affect those communities. If the communities affected reject the proposed change, it will require approval by the Minister of Transportation. In 2016, the Government of Canada has initiated discussions to set a framework for a specific policy for Canada’s Arctic and Northern Region. The work on that framework has identified better airport ...