What we examined (see Focus of the audit)

For Canada’s northern communities, air transportation is essential for supplying fresh food, medicine, and other goods; delivering health care services; providing medical emergency evacuations; and supporting tourism and travel outside of the community—many things that Canadians in the south take for granted. Air transportation is particularly important for remote northern communities, where it is the only reliable, year-round mode of transportation.

This audit focused on whether Transport Canada assessed and addressed civil aviation infrastructure needs in Canada’s north to ensure a safe and efficient civil aviation system.

Why we did this audit

This audit is important because air travel was the only reliable, year-round mode of transportation available to the 117 remote northern communities served by the airports we examined. Adequate infrastructure is vital to safe and efficient air travel.

What we concluded

We concluded that Transport Canada had the information it needed to assess the infrastructure challenges remote northern airports face. However, the Department did not take the lead by working with others to address these infrastructure challenges. The Department’s role in addressing infrastructure needs centred on the Airports Capital Assistance Program, which provided funding for safety-related projects at remote northern airports. However, the funding available through the program will not be sufficient to meet remote northern airports’ needs.

What we found

Support for the infrastructure needs of remote northern airports

Overall, we found that Transport Canada was aware of information documented since 2005 about remote northern airports’ safety- and efficiency-related infrastructure needs, such as the need for improved runway lighting and navigational aids. However, the Department had not taken a leadership role in addressing these needs by leading efforts and working collaboratively with its provincial, territorial, and industry partners to enhance the safety and improve the accessibility and efficiency of remote northern airports.

We found that remote northern airports received some funding to address their safety-related infrastructure needs through Transport Canada’s Airports Capital Assistance Program. This program provides $38 million per year in safety-related infrastructure funding to smaller airports across the country. In 2016, 41 of the 117 remote northern airports we examined estimated that they needed $101 million over the next three years to fund the safety projects they identified. Over the 2014–15 to 2016–17 fiscal years, the Airports Capital Assistance Program funded about $15 million in projects at remote northern airports.

In late 2016, Transport Canada announced that it intended to take a more active role in addressing transportation infrastructure needs in the north. However, we found that the Department did not clarify what this would involve. According to Transport Canada, it was working on details at the time of the audit.

These findings matter because stakeholders have identified significant costs to maintain and improve infrastructure at remote northern airports. Deferring infrastructure maintenance and improvements increases costs while opportunities to enhance the safety and improve the accessibility and efficiency of air travel to remote northern communities are missed. Not addressing the infrastructure needs of remote northern airports also increases risks to an accessible and efficient transportation system in the north.

• The infrastructure needs of remote northern airports have been a long-standing issue

  Recommendation. We made no recommendations in this area of examination.

• Transport Canada did not take the lead in addressing the infrastructure needs of remote northern airports

  Recommendation. Transport Canada, in collaboration with stakeholders, should lead the development of a long-term strategy for northern airport infrastructure. The strategy should clearly outline the role that Transport Canada will play in addressing the infrastructure needs of remote northern airports.

  Recommendation. Transport Canada should work with stakeholders to determine what sources of funding would meet the infrastructure needs of remote northern airports.

Entity Responses to Recommendations

The audited entity agrees with our recommendations, and has responded (see List of Recommendations).

Related Information

Report of the	Auditor General of Canada
Type of product	Performance audit
Topics	Provinces and Territories Transportation
Entities	Transport Canada
Completion date	10 March 2017
Tabling date	16 May 2017
Related audits	Chapter 5—Oversight of Civil Aviation—Transport Canada, 2012 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada

For more information

Media Relations
Telephone.: 1-888-761-5953
E-mail: infomedia@oag-bvg.gc.ca

Twitter: OAG_BVG