Air Transport

Air transport

Further information: Category:Airports in Canada and Category:Lists of airports in Canada

Air transportation made up 9% of the transport sector’s GDP generation in 2005. Canada’s largest air carrier and its flag carrier is Air Canada, which had 34 million customers in 2006 and, as of April 2010, operates 363 aircraft (including Air Canada Jazz).^[15] CHC Helicopter, the largest commercial helicopter operator in the world, is second with 142 aircraft^[15] and WestJet, a low-cost carrier formed in 1996, is third with 100 aircraft.^[15] Canada’s airline industry saw significant change following the signing of the US-Canada open skies agreement in 1995, when the marketplace became less regulated and more competitive.^[16]

The Canadian Transportation Agency employs transportation enforcement officers to maintain aircraft safety standards, and conduct periodic aircraft inspections, of all air carriers.^[17] The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is charged with the responsibility for the security of air traffic within Canada. In 1994 the National Airports Policy was enacted^[18]

Principal airports

Further information: National Airports System, List of the busiest airports in Canada, and List of airports in Canada

Of over 1,800 registered Canadian aerodromes, certified airports, heliports, and floatplane bases,^[19] 26 are specially designated under Canada’s National Airports System^[20] (NAS): these include all airports that handle 200,000 or more passengers each year, as well as the principal airport serving each federal, provincial, and territorial capital. However, since the introduction of the policy only one, Iqaluit Airport, has been added and no airports have been removed despite dropping below 200,000 passengers.^[21] The Government of Canada, with the exception of the three territorial capitals, retains ownership of these airports and leases them to local authorities. The next tier consists of 64 regional/local airports formerly owned by the federal government, most of which have now been transferred to other owners (most often to municipalities).^[20]

Below is a table of Canada’s ten biggest airports by passenger traffic in 2019.