Liberals table bill meant to make transportation sector more efficient

The federal government has put forward legislation that it says will make the country’s transportation sector more efficient, transparent and accountable. 

Transportation Minister Omar Alghabra introduced Bill C-52, the Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Transportation System Act, on Tuesday.

This bill would introduce the Air Transportation Accountability Act, which would allow airports and operators within airports to create their own set of passenger service standards. These standards could cover such things as how long it should take for a checked bag to arrive or for a passenger to get through security.

It also would create a process for airports to notify and consult the public on changes to airspace design that could affect aircraft noise. Federally incorporated airports would also be required to report on diversity among senior management and all airports would have to issue reports on pollution reduction plans.

“It’s no secret that the challenges of the last few years have impacted transportation systems here in Canada and globally,” said Alghabra in a media statement. “Together, the measures in this proposed legislation will help create a more accountable, transparent and accessible national transportation system that meets the needs of Canadians.”

Bill C-52 also would introduce changes to two pieces of legislation: the Canada Transportation Act and the Canada Marine Act.

To help make transportation more accessible for people with disabilities, the bill would require service providers to collect and report accessibility data to the government. This would respond to the auditor general’s 2023 report on accessible transportation for people with disabilities, which cited a need for oversight on accessible transportation in Canada. 

It also would require Canada’s port authorities to be more transparent about how they set port fees by creating certain principles they must follow when establishing or changing these fees. It would create a process for people to challenge these fees through the Canadian Transportation Agency.