Bill Detail
An Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act (air passenger protection)
This enactment amends the Canada Transportation Act to, among other things,
require the Canadian Transportation Agency to make certain regulations in relation to an air carrier’s obligations towards its passengers, including regulations requiring an air carrier to pay minimum monetary compensation for inconvenience in the case of a flight delay, flight cancellation or denial of boarding that is not caused by extraordinary circumstances;
set out what constitutes “extraordinary circumstances” for the purposes of the requirement to pay minimum monetary compensation;
increase the maximum amounts of the fines payable in respect of certain offences under the Act that are punishable on summary conviction; and
increase the maximum amounts of the administrative monetary penalties that the Canadian Transportation Agency may, by regulation, prescribe for the contravention of requirements under the Act that may be proceeded with as a violation.
Bill C-327, also known as the Strengthening Air Passenger Protection Act, aims to improve the rights and compensation for air travellers in Canada. It proposes requiring airlines to automatically pay minimum financial compensation to passengers for flight delays, cancellations, or denied boarding, provided these issues are not due to extraordinary circumstances. The bill also clarifies what qualifies as 'extraordinary circumstances' to ensure passengers are compensated when disruptions are within the airline's control.