The 2023 amendments to the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) address various issues identified by Transport Canada’s Aviation Safety Regulatory Review initiative and feedback from the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations (SJCSR). These changes focus on clarifying ambiguous provisions, modernizing outdated terminology, reducing administrative burdens, and codifying longstanding exemptions. The amendments aim to improve regulatory clarity, align Canadian regulations with international standards, and streamline administrative processes.

Specific updates include the harmonization of aeronautical information publication responsibilities, standardizing aerodrome reporting procedures, and correcting outdated references to external documents. Additionally, amendments eliminate circular references within regulations to improve readability and consistency. Notably, modifications to pilot-in-command and second-in-command record retention requirements create uniformity across various aviation sectors, ensuring operators retain records for a consistent duration. The amendments also clarify maintenance control system responsibilities by requiring that the position be filled by permanent staff rather than external third parties, ensuring accountability in aircraft maintenance. Outdated requirements, such as the mandate for ink signatures on airport certificate applications, have been removed to align with modern electronic submission practices.

A key component of the amendments involves addressing discrepancies between English and French versions of the CARs, ensuring consistency in terminology and phrasing. Examples include updating the French title of the “Smoking” regulation to capture all forms of smoking, including electronic cigarettes, and resolving minor linguistic inconsistencies such as differentiating between “obstruction” and “obstacle.” Terminology revisions also include updating the NOTAM acronym to remove gender bias, aligning with international standards adopted by the United States and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The amendments also standardize the phrasing for indoctrination training across different sections of the CARs to avoid confusion.

Efforts to reduce administrative burdens focus on eliminating unnecessary regulatory requirements that add complexity without contributing to aviation safety. For example, foreign air operators are no longer required to list designated points in Canada on their Foreign Air Operator Certificate, as such information is not operationally restrictive. Additionally, student helicopter pilots can now obtain a category 4 medical certificate instead of a category 1 or 3, aligning requirements with student airplane pilots and reducing the need for more complex medical evaluations in cases where they are not necessary.

The amendments support the Government of Canada’s commitment to modernizing regulations, as outlined in Budget 2018, by eliminating regulatory inefficiencies that hinder competitiveness and innovation in the aviation sector. Transport Canada’s ongoing regulatory review process ensures that the CARs remain relevant, reducing compliance burdens while maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.

Canada (2025-26) February 26, 2025