Transition book for the Chair and CEO 2021 - Other relevant information

• Executive Committee held daily meetings for the initial weeks of the pandemic to address urgent, operational issues.
• Directions to managers included
  • continuing frequent (weekly at minimum) contacts and meetings with their employees,
  • ensuring sufficient work was assigned to employees, and
  • not extending casual or term contracts unless sufficient work was available for these employees.
• Executive Committee created an inventory of special projects for employees who may need additional work.
• Executive Committee adjusted operational priorities to include the Agency's response to Covid-19.

• Executive Committee holds two meetings a week.

• Members Committee holds weekly meetings that deal, in part, with Covid-19-related measures.

• Managers Network meetings are held monthly and ad hoc meetings are held as required.
• Administrative Professionals Network holds meetings to discuss topics such as documents and procedures during telework, and the process and procurement of equipment for employees to use during telework.

• Communications team created a Covid-19 dedicated page on the Web and for staff on the intranet (The Hub) and continues to post CTA notices and related to Covid-19.

• The Chair and CEO sent weekly blogs to staff to update them on Covid-19-releated developments and Executive Committee decisions.
• The Chief Corporate Officer sent daily updates to staff regarding Covid-19 measures.

• The Chair and CEO continued to send weekly blogs to staff.
• The Chief Corporate Officer sent updates to staff twice a week on Covid-19 and other internal services information.

• The Chair and CEO sends biweekly blogs to staff.
• The Chief Corporate Officer sends updates to staff twice a month on Covid-19 and other internal services information.

• The Chair hosted monthly all-staff town halls in April, May and June to provide updates and answer staff questions.
• In the Summer the Chair organized more informal, all-staff gatherings in July and August.
• In the Fall all-staff town halls were held every two months in October and December and the all-staff town halls are expected to resume in 2021.
• The Chief Security Officer shared updates on Covid-19 received from the Government Operations Center.

• Agency implemented a number of measures to ensure that staffing could proceed during the pandemic:
  • Provided flexibility to managers to identify Covid-19 as a justification for non-advertised appointments where hiring was operationally required and would not have otherwise been possible in Covid-19 circumstances.
  • SLE testing: Expanded measures in line with flexibility provided by the Public Service Commission.
  • Implemented security screening flexibility during the pandemic.
  • Changes were made to Letters of Offer to reflect special measures taken with regards to security checks and second language testing.

Leave:

• A Guide on the use of Special Leave (Code 699) was developed.

Training and learning:

• Employees were encouraged to complete their mandatory training online.
• Web streams on a variety of subjects related to Covid-19 were circulated and promoted.

• Onboarding/Offboarding processes were modified to provide new employees with information on obtaining/returning their security pass, IT equipment, and mobile device during the pandemic.

• Monthly "Munch and Learn" sessions are organized for staff.

Other:

• Electronic signatures were implemented for all administrative processes.

• Compensation – A blanket Section 33 authority was provided to PSPC for transactions of $8 000 or less.

• Interprovincial Travel: Letters of permission were provided to employees who needed to travel between Ontario and Quebec for work-related reasons.

• Confirmation from the employer during curfew was provided to employees.

• Reporting of Covid-19 Cases – Measures were implemented for staff to report on positive cases.
• Daily reports were sent to TBS through the Covid-19 Portal.
• Measures and procedures were put in place for employees who needed to recover equipment from the workplace.
• Ergonomic tips were promoted via the Chief Corporate Officer's messages to employees.
• Individual accommodation requests were met.
• The security team participated in regular meetings with PSPC and other tenants of Les Terrasses.
• Ad hoc meetings were held with the Occupational Health and Safety Committee.

Return to the worksite:

• Disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves and masks were procured and made available to employees.
• A plexi glass shield was installed at the IT Help Desk to protect employees.
• A guide for staff on returning to the worksite, and a guide for managers on returning to the worksite were developed. The Occupational Health and Safety Committee (OHS) and the Bargaining Agents were consulted on the development of the guide.
• Facilities – The workplace was prepared for the gradual return to worksite, including posting of numerous signs, creating unidirectional hallways, reviewing evacuation procedures, and limiting access to common areas.

Mental health:

• Tools and references were provided regularly to employees via the Chair's weekly blog and the Chief Corporate Officer's messages to employees.
• Employees were reminded during the Town Hall meetings to take care of their wellbeing.
• Tools and tips were provided to managers on how to address mental health situations.
• Employees were encouraged to access the virtual library of Life Speak to find resources on how to manage their well-being inside and outside of work.
• Message from the Clerk, tools and references were promoted during Mental Health Week.

• Loan of Equipment to Employees: Procedures were developed, procurement of standard equipment was completed and measures were taken to have the equipment shipped to the employee's home or office pickup.
• The Agency's paperless invoice payment process, including electronic signatures, was finalized and implemented.
• An agreement was reached with PSPC concerning the Section 33 approval of transactions of $8 000 or less.
• Measures to report on Covid-19 expenditures were implemented (new internal order).
• All budget review meetings are held virtually.
• Responded to the OCG's Overview of Government Wide Risks related to Covid-19 and provided an update to the Audit and Evaluation Committee.
• Procurement: Procedures were modified for the approval of security certificates for consultants.
• Corporate reporting is now submitted electronically (DRR, DP etc..).

• A guide on teleworking best practices was developed.
• Employees were provided guidance and reminders with regards to the safekeeping of documents while working from home.
• Protected B Tablets (Emergency Covid-19 Response) were secured from SSC for EC and Members to allow for secured meetings via MS Teams.
• Significant improvements to the VPN were implemented, allowing for 270+ employees to work concurrently.
• Additional bandwidth capacity was secured from SSC.
• Helpdesk : employees were available to ensure continuity of operations during the pandemic.
• My Key: new procedure was implemented to allow new employees to activate their computers and MyKey accounts remotely.
• Corporate Zoom Licences were procured to accommodate Town Halls and Branch meetings. Instruction guides were developed to support employees using Zoom or Webex for meetings.
• Work on the implementation of a Protected B – CTA/ MS Teams is underway.
• Delivered a web-based application "myCTA" allowing a quicker access to RDIMS document.
• Work on the implementation of split tunnelling on VPN that will allow accessing services like zoom while on VPN.
• Working on automating the onboarding/off-boarding process through "myCTA" for streamlining the process and making it easier while working remotely.

• Agency issued temporary exemption to all air carriers who hold a domestic licence from the notification requirements for the temporary discontinuation of domestic air services (March 25, 2020 – March 31, 2021).
• Agency reduced the notification and consultation period required of air carriers who hold a domestic licence to permanently discontinue or reduce domestic service to 60 days (June 19, 2020 – March 31, 2021).

• Agency issued temporary adjustments to certain obligations under the Air Passenger Protection Regulations to allow air carriers to focus on immediate operational demands. These included modification of the advanced notice period of flight disruptions triggering compensation, adjustments to compensation for inconvenience, and a temporary exemption from rebooking passengers with a competing air carrier.

• Agency extended the period by which air carriers are required to respond to passenger claims for compensation for inconvenience filed during the pandemic.

• Agency delayed the coming-into-force of targeted provisions of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations to January 1, 2021 to provide transportation service providers with sufficient time to implement the requirements.

• The Agency launched consultations on further exemptions to the ATPDR
  • The Canadian Transportation Agency (Agency) is seeking input on requests by transportation service providers for further delay to the coming-into-force of certain provisions of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR), due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Industry will have until the end of January 8 to provide public version of their submissions, which will be published mid-January 2021.
  • Following publication, the disability community will have four weeks to review and provide comments, which will also be published.
  • The Agency's compliance monitoring and enforcement resources will be focused on outreach and education in respect of the provisions in question.
  • The Agency will convene a working group of the AAC members to discuss whether there are ways of implementing the provisions in question (or achieving their purposes) that partly address the operational and financial concerns raised by transportation service. This innovative "cooperative compliance" effort will not stop consideration of the delay requests – but it may ultimately mean that some of those requests are less urgent.

• The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC), Air Canada and Sunwing Airlines asked the Agency to temporarily exempt and/or adjust certain compensation and rebooking requirements in the Air Passenger Protection Regulations, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Prior to making a decision on these requests, the Agency launched a public consultation in order to hear perspectives from members of the public, consumer groups and other interested stakeholders.
• Submissions are due to the Agency by January 29, 2021.

• On December 18, 2020, the Minister of Transport provided a letter to the Agency stating his intention to provide the Agency with authority to develop new regulatory requirements for airlines to provide passengers with refunds when flights are cancelled, or there is a lengthy delay, for reasons outside airlines' control and it is not possible to complete the passengers' itinerary within a reasonable time.
• The Agency launched a consultation seeking input from members of the public, consumer organizations, airlines and experts on a proposed regulation establishing additional refund obligations for airlines.
• Submissions are due to the Agency by January 28, 2021. Upon receiving feedback, the Agency will develop the regulation, with the goal of having them in place by summer 2021.

• Agency created "Important Information for Travellers During COVID-19" page on CTA website and notices on air passenger protection microsite which provided information to stakeholders and the public on the Covid-19 measures taken by the Agency.
• Agency published a "Statement on Vouchers" to help mitigate the very real risk that many passengers would end up getting nothing for cancelled flights. The law does not require airlines to include refund provisions in their tariffs for flights that are cancelled for reasons beyond their control.
• Submissions are due to the Agency by January 28, 2021. Upon receiving feedback, the Agency will develop the regulation, with the goal of having them in place by summer 2021.

• Communications team regularly monitors and responds to Covid-19-related communications from reporters, stakeholders and individuals.

• The Chair delivered a presentation, Accessibility and recovery: Breaking barriers to travellers with disabilities as aviation rebuilds at the International Air Transport Association Global Accessibility Symposium

• The CTA published a summary of measures taken and a snapshot of complaints received on the Web: How the CTA is adapting to unprecedented and challenging times

• The Chair published an op\ed in the Hill Times: Air passenger protection during and beyond the pandemic

• CTA launched a Public Consultation on Requests for Temporary Adjustments to the Requirements of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations

• CTA launched a consultation on new refund requirements

• All Agency services continue to be delivered to stakeholders, applicants, and the public.
• Air licensing staff prepare a daily report detailing upcoming international charter flights that is shared with relevant federal government departments and agencies coordinating repatriation flights.

• Staff adjusted their work schedules to provide 7 day a week and after-hours service to process urgent air licence and charter permit applications, including to authorize repatriation flights and transport medical supplies.

• Agency temporarily paused interactions with air carriers in dispute resolution activities to allow them to focus on immediate, operational demands. However, staff continued to work internally on dispute resolution files.
• Agency issued temporary stay of proceedings involving air carriers.
• Staff developed plan for continuing dispute resolution activities with air carriers on July 1.

• Agency resumed interactions with air carriers in dispute resolution activities.
• Agency continued adjudication proceedings with air carriers.

• Information is shared, within appropriate limits, with officials of other departments and agencies to ensure that transportation-related measures adopted in response to the pandemic do not work at cross-purposes.
• Agency convenes with other regulators and tribunals through forums such as the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals, Heads of Federal Agencies, and Community of Federal Regulators to share experiences, lessons learned, and best practices.

• Agency engages with independent regulators internationally through the OECD Network of Economic Regulators (NER) to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on regulatory approaches. This has included:
  • Collaborating with the NER to co-host a webinar with transportation regulators entitled Regulating Transportation During and After COVID-19 (April 29, 2020). The event was attended by 68 delegates from 20 countries, including 11 transportation regulators; and
  • Contributing to an OECD report (July 27, 2020) on the measures taken by economic regulators during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure continuity of services in network sectors, adjust regulatory practices and adapt governance arrangements.

• The Agency Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) virtually held its annual meeting.
• The meeting was fully accessible and included simultaneous translation in both French and English, and interpretation in Langue de Signes du Quebec (LSQ), as well as American Sign Language (ASL) to allow full participation of the committee's members.

• Website documents such as the following may need to be updated depending on changes to the ATR requirements:
  • Filing Advice
  • Cancellation supplements
  • Powers of Attorney
  • Adoption Notices
  • Concurrences
• https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/supporting-air-tariff-documents

• Application of the Air Passenger Protection Regulations: A Guide
• Communicating Key Information to Passengers: A Guide
• Types and Categories of Flight Disruption: A Guide
• Flight Delays and Cancellations: A Guide
• Denied Boarding: A Guide
• Tarmac Delay Standards of Treatment and Disembarkation: A Guide
• Baggage Requirements for Domestic Services: A Guide
• Seating of Children with an Accompanying Passenger on an Airplane: A Guide