With sustainability a priority for NAV CANADA, we’ve set the foundation of an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Strategy. Using guidance from the UN Global Compact, we are focusing on the principles of climate action, inclusive society, and strong governance to ensure the industry stewardship and resilience of NAV CANADA.
Inside this annual report, you will read about many of the changes underway across our Company.
These include:
Airspace modernization projects in Vancouver and Toronto. In Vancouver, we are leveraging new technologies to improve efficiency and manage ever-increasing traffic volumes, while leveraging quieter continuous descent operations. The proposed changes will result in new arrival routes that will enhance safety while reducing overflight of residential communities where possible. This, combined with the continued implementation and analysis of safety risk mitigations, has reduced complexity in Vancouver airspace. In the Toronto Flight Information Region (FIR), a modernization project is underway with the aim of improving airspace harmonization and standardization across the FIR.
Moving forward on digital aerodrome air traffic services (DAATS). DAATS will be a game-changing innovation, using digital technologies to improve air traffic management. This past year, our Kingston Flight Service Station was selected to be the first of our new digital hubs.
Continuing to evolve air traffic management through space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS B). This provides radar-like surveillance capabilities using satellite technology. The ADS B Out Performance Requirements Mandate has come into effect in Class A airspace, marking a milestone in our continued space-based ADS B development.
Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO) evaluation of the iTEC Flight Data Processor. The goal was to assess how this system could improve operational performance, and the assessment was completed with a recommendation to join the iTEC Consortium.
One of the key challenges presented by our industry’s recovery has been traffic delays at airports across the country, which have garnered considerable media attention over the past year. There are a multitude of reasons for traffic delays, weather being chief among them. Regardless of the reason, NAV CANADA has an important role to play in reducing these delays, and we are working closely with our government and industry partners to find solutions.
One solution involves the implementation of our new air traffic management technologies. Another involves our efforts to increase staffing and ramp up training of new air traffic services professionals. We are already seeing improved results, with reduced ground delays at the four major airports (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto Pearson and Montreal Trudeau) over the past fiscal year.
Another integral component in meeting the demands of our industry’s recovery is our People Strategy. The strategy focuses on designing authentic careers, driving a “one-company” culture and building brand advocates. We introduced Leaders of the Future, a program aimed at preparing a new generation of leaders who can take on the challenges of the future and raise us to the next level.
In our ANS, everything begins and ends with people. We would not have reached any of our goals without the commitment and dedication of our employees from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
A clear illustration of this commitment has been the way our people have responded to a multitude of weather events and natural disasters over the past fiscal year — including Hurricane Fiona, ice storms, floods, and an unprecedented season of wildfires across the country. NAV CANADA employees responded with the utmost professionalism, maintaining our operations and reducing or preventing disruptions to our service.
I wish to thank Marc Courtois for his years of service as Chair of the Board. His support has played a key role in bringing the Company to where it is today and all of us at NAV CANADA wish him the very best.
Finally, I extend my gratitude to all of our employees for their extraordinary efforts over the past year to improve safety, service and efficiency, and most importantly, to keep Canada's skies safe.
Raymond Bohn
President and CEO