Canada is a vast country with diverse communities scattered from coast to coast. An efficient and affordable air transportation system is essential to connect these communities to each other, to major cities and to the rest of the world. Furthermore, some Canadian communities rely on air travel for work, medical appointments and supply.

Since international travel restrictions were implemented in March 2020, Canadian airlines have cancelled most of their international flights and significantly curtailed their scheduled domestic flights. The decrease in air traffic also had a significant impact on the revenues of air carriers, airports, airport service providers and aerospace companies. This unprecedented crisis led to many temporary and permanent layoffs in the aviation sector and left some regions of the country more isolated.

It is in this context that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities undertook its study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Canadian air transport sector. The witnesses who appeared before the Committee proposed various solutions to ensure the survival and recovery of the sector while prioritizing the health and safety of workers, passengers and the Canadian public.

While most witnesses said that the financial assistance provided to date by the Government of Canada was a good first step, they also agreed that it was not enough, given the scale of the crisis Canada’s air transport sector is experiencing. Many of them called for more financial assistance, commensurate with pandemic losses, to ensure the future competitiveness of the industry internationally.

Some witnesses pointed out that the Government of Canada's support measures must be fair to all stakeholders in the sector, large and small. They mentioned that financial assistance was needed to keep certain regional routes operating, but that it should not go only to the large air carriers.

On the topic of promoting recovery in the sector, many witnesses said it was vital to rebuild passenger confidence to ensure that passengers continue to view air travel as a safe and secure mode of transportation. Witnesses also pointed out that travellers should be given a refund for flights cancelled due to the pandemic to help restore their trust.

Lastly, given that the aviation industry cannot operate without its workers, and given that these workers have skills and expertise that are highly sought after by other sectors within Canada and around the world, the assistance measures implemented by the government should ensure maximum employee retention.