Air Transport Association of Canada

For more than ninety years, the Air Transport Association of Canada has been the principal forum for interaction between the commercial aviation industry and its regulators, making it inseparable from the development of aviation in Canada.

The Association’s roots date to the early 1930s. Only two decades had passed since the country’s first flight, but aircraft were now widely supporting mineral exploration, forestry, surveying, mail delivery, and passenger travel. Recognizing that this growing industry faced common regulatory and economic challenges, on 18 November 1934 representatives from forty-one commercial operators and manufacturers met officials from the Civil Aviation Division of the Department of National Defence and the National Research Council to address operators’ concerns and to determine how they could assist the government in forming future policies. The meeting established the Commercial Air Transport and Manufacturers’ Association of Canada, a permanent body through which industry and government could consult on matters affecting commercial aviation.

By concentrating on practical issues confronting operators, this initial group of eighteen operators and manufacturers aimed to ensure that air regulation reflected operational experience and the practical requirements of commercial flying. During the Association’s first three years it focused principally on customs tariffs, gasoline taxes, and establishing an advisory committee to assist the government with regulatory revisions. In 1937, it established a permanent Ottawa office to provide members with a point of contact with federal departments. It also broadened its membership categories and by 1939 had increased its ranks to forty-eight companies.

The Second World War transformed Canadian aviation. Airlines, manufacturers, and flying schools became integral to the war effort, and Canada’s aircraft industry expanded rapidly through wartime production and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Reflecting the increasingly close relationship between commercial operators and manufacturers, the Association re-named itself the Air Industries and Transport Association of Canada on 2 November 1942.

Wartime growth led next to a postwar boom in nearly every sector of Canadian aviation. Surplus aircraft were quickly adapted for commercial use and air transportation expanded rapidly as airlines extended scheduled services of all kinds. The Association’s membership likewise broadened to include airlines, charter operators, flying schools, maintenance organizations, manufacturers, insurers, and suppliers. By the early 1960s this growth meant that the AITAC represented approximately 238 members, a phenomenal increase that was thanks in part to Angus Morrison (CAHF, 1989).

Appointed as Executive Secretary in 1951, he had an extensive understanding of aviation operations and public administration; both would inform his leadership over an unprecedented three decades. Morrison understood that the Association’s effectiveness depended on the expertise of its members. He expanded the organization’s committee structure, bringing together specialists in operations, maintenance, engineering, airport affairs, taxation, labour relations, aviation training, and other technical disciplines to develop common positions on matters affecting commercial aviation. The Association also broadened its services to members through increased circulation of bulletins and memoranda, annual meetings, and practical services, such as group insurance and employee benefit plans.

Professional education was another area of emphasis. The Association represented flying schools participating in the federal government’s approved flight training program and encouraged higher instructional standards throughout the industry. Morrison, for example, worked closely with the Royal Canadian Flying Clubs Association in establishing Instructor Refresher Courses that improved the quality and consistency of commercial flight instruction nationwide.

This work ensured that the Association remained an effective advocate on regulatory and economic issues. Indeed, during Morrison’s tenure it successfully argued for the removal of customs duties on aircraft, engines and components unavailable from Canadian manufacturers, and negotiated labour arrangements better suited to the operational realities of commercial aviation. These initiatives reduced operating costs for Canadian carriers while strengthening the industry’s relationship with regulators.

By 1962 the interests of manufacturers and commercial operators had diverged, and the industrial members elected to establish their own group, the Air Industries Association of Canada. The remaining commercial air operators became the Air Transport Association of Canada, on 9 April 1962. Despite a new name, ATAC’s central purpose remained unchanged: promoting commercial aviation through cooperation with government, exchanging technical knowledge, and maintaining high professional standards.

Thanks to its growth and a refined focus, ATAC was well positioned to represent an increasingly diverse and sophisticated industry that now included specialized commercial operators, a rapidly developing helicopter sector, and entry into the jet-age of air transport. It helped that it had expanded member categories: operator membership was open to Canadian companies engaged in commercial air operations, while affiliate and associate memberships included organizations supplying equipment, services, or expertise. Each had a single vote and a seat at committee tables. The latter were now where much of the Association’s work was undertaken and they evolved over the next two decades to include flight operations, engineering and maintenance, aviation training, airport affairs, finance, taxation, dangerous goods, industrial relations, telecommunications, security, legal matters, helicopters, customs, and economic regulation. Rather than functioning solely as advisory bodies within the Association, these committees provided informed technical advice during consultations with government departments and regulators.

As commercial aviation became increasingly complex and the industry moved towards deregulation in the late 1970s and 1980s, ATAC’s policy agenda favoured a regulatory climate that recognized “enterprise and imagination in the provision of responsible and competitive air transport services,” while continuing to emphasize safety and professional standards. Perhaps the most demanding issue confronting the Association during this period was aviation safety. Following several major accidents, the federal government established the Commission of Inquiry into Aviation Safety, chaired by Justice Charles Dubin. ATAC participated extensively in the Commission’s hearings during 1980 and 1981, committing more than $250,000 to prepare briefs and evidence on operational, technical, and regulatory matters affecting commercial aviation. After the inquiry concluded, Dubin publicly commended ATAC for its contributions. The Association’s growing influence was also recognized internationally, and in 1977 it received the Diploma of Honour from the Fèdèration Aèronautique Internationale, acknowledging its contribution to aviation.

ATAC’s seventh decade of operation – the 1990s – witnessed an even greater pace of change, as airlines restructuring increased, major airports were privatised, and competition ramped up between international carriers and among regional providers. On the regulatory front, ATAC was integral to the formation and operation of the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council. Through its committees and technical specialists, the Association contributed widely to discussions concerning Canadian Aviation Regulations affecting operations, maintenance, licensing, dangerous goods, accessibility, and safety.

It stepped up again in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, a shock that transformed aviation worldwide. With new security requirements affecting every commercial operator, ATAC coordinated with Transport Canada and other agencies in communicating new regulatory requirements to members while representing operational concerns arising from their implementation. The Association also participated in consultations through the Advisory Group on Aviation Security, reflecting its continuing role as an intermediary between government and industry.

Safety also remained central to the Association’s activities during the early twenty-first century. As Transport Canada introduced Safety Management Systems, ATAC developed guidance material and workshops to assist operators in implementing the new requirements. Further, the association played a significant role in consultations concerning pilot fatigue regulations and passenger rights legislation, preparing policy papers and presentations on issues affecting commercial operators.

Education and workforce development have continued to receive attention, and, working with the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace, ATAC contributed to the development of National Occupational Standards, while its longstanding cooperation with the Department of National Defence included support for the Air Cadet Power Scholarship Program and participation in the Continuation Flying Training Awards – initiatives that reflect its ongoing commitment to maintaining professional standards.

More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic presented the single greatest disruption to commercial aviation since the Second World War. Border closures, public health restrictions, and the collapse of passenger traffic affected all parts of the aviation industry. ATAC communicated daily with members throughout this prolonged crisis, providing information concerning regulatory changes, operational restrictions, and government measures affecting commercial aviation. It also represented members’ interests in discussions concerning the industry’s recovery.

Today, ATAC continues to represent a broad cross-section of Canadian commercial aviation, including airlines, helicopter operators, maintenance organizations, manufacturers, flight training schools, and industry partners. Much as it did in 1934, the Association provides a forum for cooperation on issues affecting the entire sector. Its committees continue to address technical, operational, economic, and regulatory matters, while its annual conference remains a venue for consultation between operators, government, and suppliers. More than ninety years after its founding, ATAC remains the recognized national voice of Canadian commercial aviation. Its expertise is regularly sought by the Senate, the House of Commons, federal departments, and regulatory authorities on matters affecting aviation policy, safety, training, and economic development. Through its ability to unite diverse sectors of the industry and present informed, practical advice to decision makers, the Association continues to influence the future of aviation in Canada. Its enduring relevance reflects the central role it has played and continues to play in the advancement of Canadian commercial aviation.