Departmental Results Report 2024–2025

Read a summary of the Departmental results report

From the Chair and Chief Executive Officer

The last few years have been eventful for the Canadian Transportation Agency (the Agency), and in particular as it relates to air passenger protection. In June 2023, following a series of major flight disruptions, consumer dissatisfaction, and a significant increase in the number of air passenger complaints submitted to the Agency, Parliament made changes to the Canada Transportation Act (the Act). The goal was to modify how the Agency processes air passenger complaints, to strengthen the Canadian air passenger protection regime, and to require the agency to recover its costs for processing air passenger complaints.

The Agency’s implementation began immediately following the passing of the legislation with the second half of 2023 being dedicated to build and launch brand new processes and functions in the organization. The Air Travel Complaints Resolution Office (ATCRO) was launched on September 30, 2023, only three months after Parliament made changes to the Act. The Agency is proud to report that in 2024–25, it has closed more than 33,000 complaints in its first full fiscal year of operations. This is a significant increase compared to 11,158 in 2022-23 under the previous resolution model. However, over the last three years, more than 40,000 complaints per year were received, hitting a record high of over 46,000 complaints in 2024-25. As of March 31, 2025, there are 84,398 complaints waiting to be processed. The Agency will continue to utilize resources responsibly to maintain its complaints processing capacity while ensuring quality and consistency. To this end, the Agency is exploring how it can leverage tools such as artificial intelligence to further improve outcomes for Canadians.

Additionally, after consulting with the Minister of Transport, the Agency published proposed amendments to the Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) regulations for consultations in Canada Gazette Part I, in December 2024. The Agency also undertook a consultation on the recovery of costs associated with the processing of air passenger complaints. Input received through these consultation processes will be taken into consideration as the Agency determines how to move these initiatives forward in the year ahead.

With respect to its responsibility to support an efficient national transportation system, the Agency continued to actively engage with railways and shippers. These interactions are essential for the Agency to maintain its knowledge and expertise in the sector. The Agency’s rail team has now, for the third year, implemented its rail monitoring program, which includes a deep analysis of the performance of the sector based upon a set of standardized performance metrics. This ensures that all stakeholders have the same performance information and serves as a base for the team in facilitating the informal resolution of issues amongst the various parties.

The Agency also began its five-year review of the Railway Interswitching Regulations. The Agency launched consultations on November 21, 2024. Submissions are being reviewed, and stakeholder input will be considered in the annual rate determination process. This will help establish rates for all parties and ensure that shippers have fair and reasonable access to services from more than one railway, thereby promoting greater competition within the system.

Accessible transportation remained a priority for the Agency, which over the last year, has laid the groundwork for several important initiatives, both domestically and internationally. For example, the Agency continues to collaborate closely with transportation service providers to support improved training on handling, securing and transportation of mobility aids. Internationally, the Agency continues to play a leadership role in the ongoing work of advancing accessibility at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), reinforced during 2024-25 ICAO Year of Facilitation. A key project which the Agency supported actively was the development of a comprehensive strategy for international aviation accessibility. Accessibility complaints substantially increased last year and the Agency is developing and implementing a plan to improve its efficiency and processing capacity.

As the Agency continues to focus on improving services to Canadians in all key areas of its responsibility, I am grateful to be able to count on a highly competent cadre of public service employees and appointed Members. As an organization, the Agency continues to seek stability in its resources and ensures its workforce continues to be competent, diverse and firmly rooted in the principles of Values and Ethics.

In 2025, the Agency was named one of the Top Employers in the National Capital Region (NCR) for the second consecutive year. This special designation recognizes employers in the Ottawa-Gatineau area that are leaders in providing exceptional places to work. This is in part due to our achievements during the year. For example, the Agency has made investments in attracting and retaining a highly skilled workforce by promoting a culture of innovation and by enhancing its talent management practices. The Agency has also worked to provide a safe, inclusive, and accessible working environment enabling all employees to play a part in the Agency’s success and to achieve their full potential.

I am proud of the Agency’s achievements and recognize that none of these would have been possible without the hard work, expertise, and integrity of Agency employees and appointed Members. Our positive work environment is a direct result of their involvement. Canadians can be assured that they will continue to be well served by the professionalism, integrity, and dedication of the team at the Agency.

France Pégeot

Results – what we achieved

An efficient, competitive national transportation system

One of the Agency’s key roles is to help ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians – those who work and invest in it, the producers, shippers, travellers and businesses who rely on it, and the communities where it operates. In so doing, the Agency is guided by the National Transportation Policy, which is part of the Canada Transportation Act (the Act) and affirms that competition and market forces are the primary drivers in providing viable and effective transportation services.

Results achieved

Rail:

• Determined the 2025 rates for the new interswitching zone (R-2024-181) in support of a temporary 18-month pilot extending the interswitching radius distance in the Prairie Provinces to 160 kilometres;
• Launched public consultations on November 21, 2024, to fulfill the legislative requirement to review the Railway Interswitching Regulations every five years;
• Prepared an interswitching review paper that focused on eligible traffic and factors in setting the interswitching rate;
• Set the Volume-Related Composite Price Indices (VRCPIs) for the 2024–2025 crop year:
  • In 2024, the VRCPI determination (R-2024-63) identified increases of 5.39% for the Canadian National Railway Company’s (CN) and 6.49% for the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway Company (CPKC) over the previous crop year, primarily due to updates from forecasted 2023 price changes to actual price changes and incorporating revised forecasts for 2024.
  • A subsequent determination (R-2024-124), adjusted CN’s VRCPI upwards to account for costs incurred in acquiring hopper cars for regulated grain movements in Western Canada.
• Resolved 21 rail disputes (nine through mediation, 11 through adjudication, and one through arbitration);
• Developed a new guide: How to Apply for Approval to Construct a Railway Line: Indigenous Consultation and Engagement Guide;
• Introduced a monitoring process for third-party liability insurance requirements for approved railway construction projects; including confirming that the insurance coverage for phase II of CN’s construction of the Milton Logistics Park was adequate;
• Issued Certificates of Fitness (CoF) to account for changes in railway operations or cancelled or suspended a certificate as necessary, including notably;
  • Baffinland received a determination from the Agency specifying the conditions that must be met before it can obtain a CoF for the proposed Steensby Railway construction on Baffin Island, Nunavut (R-2024-106); and,
• Determined the Maximum Revenue Entitlement (MRE) for CN and CPKC.
  • This year's determination (R-2024-190) found that CN’s revenues were below its maximum grain revenue entitlement, while CPKC’s revenues exceeded its respective entitlement for the 2023–2024 crop year.
  • Regulations require any revenue collected above the entitlement, plus a 5% penalty, to be paid to the Western Grains Research Foundation. Accordingly, CPKC was required to pay penalties totaling $1,915,287.

Marine:

• Processed 74 coasting trade applications, a 61% increase from the previous year. Of the contested applications, 21 were withdrawn by the applicants, and one was denied by the Agency.

Air:

• Approved 82 air licence applications, including 53 foreign carrier licence applications;
• Issued 1,082 permits for passenger resaleable, passenger non-resaleable, and cargo non-resaleable charters;
• Processed 3,670 charter flight notifications; and,
• Participated in the negotiation and implementation of five new or amended international air transport agreements.

Persons with disabilities have access to justice and accessible transportation services

The Agency plays an essential role in protecting the fundamental right of persons with disabilities to accessible transportation services by resolving disputes as well as developing and enforcing regulations.

Results achieved

• Processed 209 accessibility complaints, of which 186 were closed through mediation while 23 were resolved through adjudication;
• Launched a pilot project, which involved shadowing persons with disabilities during their travel to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges they face;
• Supported the advancement of an international accessibility strategy through ICAO, helping to lay the groundwork for a globally barrier-free air transportation system and promote best practices worldwide; and,
• Continued verification of TSP compliance with the Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations (ATPRR), which resulted in a compliance rate of over 95% among the providers.

Consumers have access to justice and protection for air travel

The Agency continued to advance work, required as a result of the amendments to the Act (enacted as part of the BIA), related to: the development of amendments to the APPR, the implementation of the ATCRO, and the implementation of cost recovery for eligible air travel complaints.

The Agency undertook consultations in from September 18 to November 4, 2024 related to the cost recovery of the ATCRO. After consultation with the Minister of Transport, the Agency published proposed amendments to the APPR in Canada Gazette, Part I, and a 75-day consultation closed on March 6, 2025.

Results achieved

• Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR):
  • Published proposed amendments to the APPR in Canada Gazette, Part I for public comment.
    • This consultation process was held for a period of 75 days and ended on March 6, 2025. During the consultation period, the Agency received over 90 submissions from airlines, consumer organizations, passenger advocates, academics, and the general public. The Agency will review the comments received and determine next steps in consultation with the Minister of Transport.

• Air Travel Complaints Resolution Office (ATCRO):
  • Closed more than 33,000 complaints, nearly triple the volume handled in 2022–23; and,
  • Over the last three years, more than 40,000 complaints per year were received, hitting a record high of over 46,000 complaints in 2024-25.

• Cost Recovery:
  • Published a cost recovery fee proposal, from September 18 to November 4, 2024, to seek feedback from the public and any other interested parties for each eligible processed and closed air travel complaint.

• Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement:
  • Issued 52 Notices of Violation (NOVs) with Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMPs) totalling $1,586,610;
  • Completed 609 inspections and investigations, a 21% increase compared to the 2023-24 year; and,
  • Monitored the industry and proactively investigated serious flight disruptions affecting air passengers’ travel, including those caused by labour disputes, cyber incidents, weather, and other key events. Designated Enforcement Officers have also proactively investigated accessibility related travel incidents, including those concerning the transportation of mobility aids.

• Legal:
  • Appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) related to the International Air Transportation Association’s (IATA's) challenge of the APPR:
    • On October 4, 2024, the SCC released its decision in International Air Transportation Association v. Canada (Transportation Agency). The SCC upheld the APPR, which requires airlines to provide compensation to passengers in cases of delays, cancellations, denied boarding, or issues with lost or damaged baggage on international flights, and dismissed the appeal.

Key Risks

Unpredictability of air travel complaint volumes: In recent years, the Agency has experienced a consistent and significant increase in air travel complaints. Despite receiving supplemental temporary funding to address the growing volume of air travel complaints, the number of incoming complaints has exceeded the projections. Consequently, the backlog of cases continues to grow despite the additional resources provided. This unpredictability in complaint volumes poses challenges in planning for case processing times and delivering accurate information to the public. To mitigate this risk, the Agency continually reviews and streamlines its business processes and procedures, while also adopting new technologies and tools to enhance efficiency.

Managing in the context of significant change: The Agency has transformed its approach to handling air travel complaints and is now committed to a process of continuous improvement, actively seeking new ways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. To mitigate the risks associated with the high rate of change and to maintain agility, the Agency is currently reassessing its investment plans for technology and systems, as well as its strategies for employee development and training, with a view to further invest in and strengthen these areas. Additionally, efforts are being deployed into stakeholder engagement and external communications products.

Sunsetting temporary funds: Budget 2023 announced that the Agency would receive $75.9 million over three years, starting in 2023-2024, to increase its capacity to process air travel complaints. The Agency over the last two years has and continues to receive twice the number of complaints it anticipated. With the temporary funding coming to an end in fiscal year 2025-2026, the Agency continues to aggressively seek efficiencies and will pursue long-term funding options in order to ensure the delivery of its mandate in an effective and timely manner. The significant portion of the Agency's budget being temporary (approximately 40%), also leads to a higher rate of employee turnover, and requires greater allocation of time and resources to staffing and training, accompanied by a decrease in productivity. The Agency is diligently monitoring and managing its financial resources to optimize staffing, onboarding, and training processes within the constraints of available funding.

Resources required to achieve results

Table 4: Snapshot of resources required for independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users

Table 4 provides a summary of the planned and actual spending and full-time equivalents required to achieve results.

The 2024–25 planned spending of $40.1 million stems from the 2024-25 Departmental Plan. However, since the tabling of the Departmental Plan, the Agency has received additional funding to cover retroactive compensation adjustments resulting from the renewal of various collective agreements.

The 2024–25 planned number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) was 338, as outlined in the 2024-25 Departmental Plan. However, the actual number of FTEs was lower than anticipated, as a result of employee turnover and ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining new temporary staff.

The Finances section of the Infographic for the Agency on GC Infobase page and the People section of the Infographic for the Agency on GC Infobase page provide complete financial and human resources information related to its program inventory.

Related government priorities

This section highlights government priorities that are being addressed through this core responsibility.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainable development, the Agency is dedicated to contributing to the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets. The Agency’s efforts are described in its 2023-27 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS), which directly support three key goals of the 2022-2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS):

1. Goal 10: Reconciliation and Inequality Reduction – The Agency focuses on advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and taking action to reduce inequality.
2. Goal 12: Sustainable Transportation and Waste Reduction – The Agency aims to reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles.
3. Goal 13: Climate Change Action – The Agency is committed to taking action on climate change and addressing its impacts.

In alignment with the United Nations Decade of Action, the Agency strives to integrate these goals across its strategic policies and activities, mobilizing all sectors of society to develop sustainable solutions to global challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

More information on the Agency’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Innovation

Air Travel Complaints Resolution Office (ATCRO): The Agency continues to develop new tools, processes, and strategies to maximize the number of complaints that can be resolved. To this end, the Agency is currently working to leverage artificial intelligence to aid resolution officers in allowing them to render decisions more quickly, by:

• Exploring the use of innovative tools to support workload management and improve complaint triage;
• Enhancing the digital complaint management system for applicants and airlines, improving usability and end-to-end case visibility; and,
• Improving automated notifications to ensure that all system-generated communications are issued in both official languages, regardless of the language selected at intake.

Program inventory

Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users are supported by the following programs:

• Determinations and Compliance
• Dispute Resolution

Additional information related to the program inventory for independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users is available on the Results page on GC InfoBase.

Spending and human resources

• In this section

  • Spending
  • Funding
  • Financial statement highlights
  • Human resources

Spending

This section presents an overview of the department's actual and planned expenditures from 2022–23 to 2027–28.

Graph 1 presents how much the department spent in 2024–25 to carry out core responsibilities and internal services.

Text version of Graph 1

The graph depicts a pie chart divided into two as follows:

Internal services: $14,587,438

Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users: $44,118,074

See GC InfoBase for the full framework and program inventory.

Analysis of actual spending by core responsibility

Core Responsibility – Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users: The Agency increased its staff complement in order to continue to respond to a higher number of air passenger and accessibility-related complaints.

Internal Services: Actual expenditures in 2024–25 were lower than the previous year as a result of the Agency’s efforts to realign its spending priorities with its core responsibility. In previous years, the Agency invested in technology to improve its systems and to support the Agency's efforts in providing dispute resolution services to Canadians.

Refocusing Government Spending

In Budget 2023, the government committed to reducing spending by $14.1 billion over five years, starting in 2023–24, and by $4.1 billion annually after that.

As part of meeting this commitment, the Agency identified the following spending reductions.

• 2024-25: $561,000
• 2025-26: $831,000
• 2026-27 and after: $1,202,000

During 2024-25, the Agency worked to realize these reductions through the following measures:

• Professional services reductions for IT consultants and translation services
• Workforce reductions

Budgetary performance summary

Table 7: Actual three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 7 shows the money that the Agency spent in each of the past three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.

Table 7 shows the money that the Agency spent in each of the past three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2024–25 Main Estimates	2024–25 total authorities available for use	Actual spending over three years (authorities used)
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users	40,103,789	44,170,084	2022–23: 29,219,423 2023–24: 38,592,596 2024–25: 44,118,074
Internal services	16,155,598	14,604,635	2022–23: 11,910,894 2023–24: 16,683,128 2024–25: 14,587,438
Total	56,259,387	58,774,719	2022–23: 41,130,317 2023–24: 55,275,724 2024–25: 58,705,512

Analysis of the past three years of spending

• In 2022-23, the Agency received temporary funding of about $11 million in Budget 2022, in support of its air travel complaints capacity. Whereas temporary funding granted through Budget 2023 totaled $75.9 million over three years, therefore, actual spending in 2022-23 was about 25% less than actual spending in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• Budget 2023 allocated $20.6 million and $24.7 million to the Agency for fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25, respectively. As a result, the Agency increased its staff complement in order to continue to respond to a higher number of air passenger and accessibility-related complaints; make investments in technology to improve its systems; and advance its compliance monitoring and enforcement priorities. In addition to the increased staff complement, personnel expenditures were greater following the renewal of various collective agreements, which included retroactive compensation adjustments.

The Finances section of the Infographic for the Agency on GC Infobase offers more financial information from previous years.

Table 8: Planned three-year spending on core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)

Table 8 shows the Agency’s planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.

Table 8 shows the Agency’s planned spending for each of the next three years on its core responsibilities and on internal services.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2025–26 planned spending	2026–27 planned spending	2027–28 planned spending
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users	40,085,163	24,275,797	24,303,760
Internal services	16,386,368	9,923,675	9,935,107
Total	56,471,531	34,199,472	34,238,867

Analysis of the next three years of spending

Planned spending is expected to remain consistent in fiscal year 2025–26. However, planned spending in both 2026–27 and 2027–28 reflects a decrease of approximately $22.3 million per year due to the sunsetting temporary funding allocated under Budget 2023 (i.e., $75.9 million over three years, starting in 2023–24).

The Finances section of the Infographic for the Agency on GC Infobase offers more detailed financial information related to future years.

Funding

This section provides an overview of the department's voted and statutory funding for its core responsibilities and for internal services. Consult the Government of Canada budgets and expenditures for further information on funding authorities.

Graph 2 summarizes the department's approved voted and statutory funding from 2022-23 to 2027-28.

Text version of graph 2

Graph 2 includes the following information:

Text version of graph 2

Fiscal year	Statutory	Voted	Total
2022-23	4,447,023	36,683,294	41,130,317
2023-24	6,064,145	49,211,579	55,275,724
2024-25	6,801,199	51,904,313	58,705,512
2025-26	6,106,291	50,365,240	56,471,531
2026-27	3,748,162	30,451,310	34,199,472
2027-28	3,749,093	30,489,774	34,238,867

Analysis of statutory and voted funding over a six-year period

For fiscal years 2022–23, 2023–24 and 2024–25, the amounts represent the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts.

For fiscal year 2025–26, the forecast spending represents the planned budgetary and statutory expenditures as presented in the Estimates documents (Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates) and amounts approved by the Treasury Board. The 2025–26 forecasted spending reflects a reduction of $2.2 million compared to the actual spending in 2024–25. This reduction is primarily attributable to a decrease in temporary funding allocated under Budget 2023, an increase in planned expenditure reductions aligned with the government’s initiative to refocus public spending, as well as the 2023–24 operating budget carry-forward expended in 2024–25.

For fiscal years 2026–27 and 2027–28, the planned spending reflects a decrease of approximately $22.3 million per year due to the sunsetting temporary funding allocated under Budget 2023 (i.e., $75.9 million over three years, starting in 2023–24).

The Agency's planned and forecasted spending do not include the reimbursement of eligible paylist expenditures and the operating budget carry-forward, as these cannot be estimated with certainty. Additionally, the Agency's statutory spending, as indicated in the graph above, relates to the Employee Benefit Plan, which is based on planned salary spending and fluctuates with voted spending.

Consult the Public Accounts of Canada for further information on the Agency’s departmental voted and statutory expenditures.

Financial statement highlights

The Agency’s Financial Statements (Unaudited) for the Year Ended March 31, 2025.

Table 9: Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2025 (dollars)

Table 9 summarizes the expenses and revenues for 2024–25 which net to the cost of operations before government funding and transfers.

Financial information	2024–25 actual results	2024–25 planned results	Difference (actual results minus planned)
Total expenses	65,451,877	62,304,539	3,147,338
Total revenues	24	-	24
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	65,451,853	62,304,539	3,147,314

Analysis of expenses and revenues for 2024-25

The planned results of $62.3 million for 2024-25 stem from the 2024-25 Departmental Plan. Following the tabling of the 2024-25 Departmental Plan, the Agency received additional funding to cover retroactive compensation adjustments resulting from the renewal of various collective agreements. Therefore, the 2024-25 actual results were greater than planned.

The 2024–25 planned results information is provided in the Agency’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2024–25.

Table 10: Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for 2023-24 and 2024-25 (dollars)

Table 10 summarizes actual expenses and revenues and shows the net cost of operations before government funding and transfers.

Financial information	2024–25 actual results	2023–24 actual results	Difference (2024-25 minus 2023-24)
Total expenses	65,451,877	60,808,420	4,643,457
Total revenues	24	131	(107)
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	65,451,853	60,808,289	4,643,564

Analysis of differences in expenses and revenues between 2023-24 and 2024-25

The Agency’s total expenses were $65.5 million in 2024-25, an increase of $4.6 million (7.6%) over the previous year’s total expenses. This variance is primarily attributable to a $4.1 million increase in the temporary funding allocated in Budget 2023 to expand the Agency’s capacity to process air passenger complaints as well as retroactive compensation adjustments resulting from the renewal of various collective agreements.

The majority of funds, $58.0 million (88.5%), were spent on salaries and employee benefits, $2.2 million (3.3%) on accommodations, $1.9 million (2.9%) on rentals, $1.6 million (2.4%) on professional and special services and the remaining $1.8 million (2.9%) on information, acquisition and amortization of capital assets, transportation, communications, repairs, maintenance, materials and supplies.

Table 11: Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as at March 31, 2025 (dollars)

Table 11 provides a brief snapshot of the amounts the department owes or must spend (liabilities) and its available resources (assets), which helps to indicate its ability to carry out programs and services.

Financial information	Actual fiscal year (2024–25)	Previous fiscal year (2023–24)	Difference (2024–25 minus 2023–24)
Total net liabilities	8,542,672	11,002,167	(2,459,495)
Total net financial assets	4,971,018	7,801,884	(2,830,866)
Departmental net debt	3,571,654	3,200,283	371,371
Total non-financial assets	1,635,367	1,902,580	(267,213)
Departmental net financial position	(1,936,287)	(1,297,703)	(638,584)

Analysis of department’s liabilities and assets since last fiscal year

The decrease in total net liabilities of $2.5 million is mainly attributable to a decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities related to employer contributions to employee benefit plans as well as accrued salaries and wages resulting from the increase in staff complement in 2023-24, which stabilized in 2024-2025.

The decrease in total net financial assets of $2.8 million is primarily attributable to the decrease in the amount due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to discharge accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

The decrease in non-financial assets of $0.3 million is largely attributable to the 2023-24 adjustments related to internally developed software, as well as increased acquisitions of informatics equipment during the same period.

Human resources

This section presents an overview of the department’s actual and planned human resources from 2022–23 to 2027–28.

Table 12: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 12 shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for the Agency’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.

Table 12 shows a summary in full-time equivalents of human resources for the Agency’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2022–23 actual full-time equivalents	2023–24 actual full-time equivalents	2024–25 actual full-time equivalents
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users	224	287	317
Internal services	70	93	91
Total	294	380	408

Analysis of human resources for the last three years

Similar to trends seen in actual spending, changes in full-time equivalents over the last three (3) years are chiefly explained by the increase in temporary funding provided to the Agency via Budget 2022 and Budget 2023.

Table 13: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services

Table 13 shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of the Agency’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the next three years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.

Table 13 shows the planned full-time equivalents for each of the Agency’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the next three years.

Core responsibilities and internal services	2025–26 planned full-time equivalents	2026–27 planned full-time equivalents	2027–28 planned full-time equivalents
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users	325	259	259
Internal services	91	81	81
Total	416	340	340

Analysis of human resources for the next three years

Budget 2023 provided the Agency with $75.9 million over three years, starting in 2023–24, primarily in support of the Agency’s capacity to address air passenger complaints. The decrease in the 2026-27 and 2027–28 planned full-time equivalents reflects the sunsetting temporary funds.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the Agency’s website:

• Gender-based Analysis Plus
• Response to Parliamentary committees and external audits

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Corporate information

Departmental profile

Appropriate minister(s):

The Honourable Steven MacKinnon, P.C., M.P., Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Institutional head:

France Pégeot, Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Ministerial portfolio:

Transport

Enabling instrument(s):

Canada Transportation Act, S.C. 1996, c. 10, as amended

Year of incorporation / commencement:

1904

Other:

The Agency shares responsibility for the following acts:

• Accessible Canada Act, 2019
• Canada Marine Act
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act
• Coasting Trade Act
• Energy Supplies Emergency Act
• Pilotage Act
• Railway Relocation and Crossing Act
• Railway Safety Act
• Shipping Conferences Exemption Act, 1987

The Agency has sole responsibility for the following regulations:

• Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, SOR/2019-244
• Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations, SOR/2021-243
• Air Passenger Protection Regulations, SOR/2019-150
• Air Transportation Regulations, SOR/88-58
• Canadian Transportation Agency Designated Provisions Regulations, SOR/99-244
• Regulations on Operational Terms for Rail Level of Services Arbitration, SOR/2014-192
• Personnel Training for the Assistance of Persons with Disabilities Regulations, SOR/94-42
• Railway Costing Regulations, SOR/80-310
• Railway Interswitching Regulations, SOR/88-41
• Railway Third Party Liability Insurance Coverage Regulations, SOR/96-337
• Railway Traffic and Passenger Tariffs Regulations, SOR/96-338
• Railway Traffic Liability Regulations, SOR/91-488

The Agency shares responsibility for the following regulations:

• Transportation Information Regulations, SOR/96-334
• Railway Company Pay Out of Excess Revenue for the Movement of Grain Regulations, SOR/2001-207
• The Jacques-Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Regulations, SOR/98-568
• The Seaway International Bridge Corporation, Ltd. Regulations, SOR/98-569

The Agency has promulgated the following Rules:

• Canadian Transportation Agency Rules (Dispute Proceedings and Certain Rules Applicable to All Proceedings), SOR/2014-104
• Rules of Procedure for Rail Level of Service Arbitration, SOR/2014-94

These acts and regulations are available on the Department of Justice website, and are accessible through the “Acts and Regulations” section of the Agency’s website.

Departmental contact information

Mailing address:

Canadian Transportation Agency
60 Rue Laval, Unit 01, Gatineau, Québec J8X 3G9

Telephone:

1-888-222-2592

Fax:

819-997-6727

Email:

info@otc-cta.gc.ca

Website(s):

https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca

Definitions

List of terms

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, departments or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role of a department. The departmental results listed for a core responsibility reflect the outcomes that the department seeks to influence or achieve.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report that outlines the anticipated activities and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament in spring.

departmental priority (priorité)

A plan, project or activity that a department focuses and reports on during a specific planning period. Priorities represent the most important things to be done or those to be addressed first to help achieve the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A high-level outcome related to the core responsibilities of a department.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative or qualitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report outlining a department’s accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

Measures the person years in a departmental budget. An employee's scheduled hours per week divided by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek calculates a full-time equivalent. For example, an employee who works 20 hours in a 40-hour standard workweek represents a 0.5 full-time equivalent.

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical tool that helps to understand the ways diverse individuals experience policies, programs and other initiatives. Applying GBA Plus to policies, programs and other initiatives helps to identify the different needs of the people affected, the ways to be more responsive and inclusive, and the methods to anticipate and mitigate potential barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography (including rurality), language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.

government priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2024–25 Departmental Results Report, government priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda as announced in the 2021 Speech from the Throne.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

A program, project or other initiative where two or more federal departments receive funding to work collaboratively on a shared outcome usually linked to a government priority, and where the ministers involved agree to designate it as horizontal. Specific reporting requirements apply, including that the lead department must report on combined expenditures and results.

Indigenous business (entreprise autochtones)

For the purposes of a Departmental Result Report, this includes any entity that meets the Indigenous Services Canada’s criteria of being owned and operated by Elders, band and tribal councils, registered in the Indigenous Business Directory or registered on a modern treaty beneficiary business list.

non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What a department did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the department intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative measure that assesses progress toward a departmental-level or program-level result, or the expected outputs or outcomes of a program, policy or initiative.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how a department intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to the amounts presented in Main Estimates. Departments must determine their planned spending and be able to defend the financial numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

An Individual, group, or combination of services and activities managed together within a department and focused on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

A listing that identifies all the department’s programs and the resources that contribute to delivering on the department’s core responsibilities and achieving its results.

result (résultat)

An outcome or output related to the activities of a department, policy, program or initiative.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Spending approved through legislation passed in Parliament, other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose and the terms and conditions of the expenditures.

target (cible)

A quantitative or qualitative, measurable goal that a department, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Spending approved annually through an appropriation act passed in Parliament. The vote also outlines the conditions that govern the spending.