Secure Air Travel Act (S.C. 2015, c. 20, s. 11)

Short Title

Marginal note:Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Secure Air Travel Act.

Her Majesty

Marginal note:Binding on Her Majesty

2 This Act is binding on Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province.

Interpretation

Marginal note:Definitions

3 The following definitions apply in this Act.

air carrier

air carrier has the same meaning as in subsection 3(1) of the Aeronautics Act. (transporteur aérien)

aviation reservation system

aviation reservation system has the same meaning as in subsection 3(1) of the Aeronautics Act. (système de réservation de services aériens)

list

list means the list established under subsection 8(1). (liste)

listed person

listed person means a person whose name is on the list. (personne inscrite)

Minister

Minister means the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. (ministre)

screening

screening has the same meaning as in section 4.7 of the Aeronautics Act. (contrôle)

sterile area

sterile area has the same meaning as in section 3 of the Canadian Aviation Security Regulations, 2012. (zone stérile)

transportation security

transportation security has the same meaning as in subsection 4.81(0.1) of the Aeronautics Act. (sûreté des transports)

Application

Marginal note:General rule

• 4 (1) Subject to any regulations made under this Act, this Act applies to all persons, both inside and outside Canada.

• Marginal note:Conflict of laws

  (2) Nothing in this Act is to be construed as requiring a person to contravene, or an aircraft to be operated in contravention of, a law of a foreign state that applies to or in respect of the person or aircraft.

Marginal note:Contraventions outside Canada

5 Every person who commits an act or omission outside Canada that if committed in Canada would be a contravention of a provision of this Act or its regulations is deemed to have committed the act or omission in Canada, and the person may be proceeded against and punished in the place in Canada where the person is found, as if the contravention had been committed in that place.

Air Carriers

Marginal note:Duty — air carriers

• 6 (1) An air carrier that holds Canadian aviation documents, as defined in subsection 3(1) of the Aeronautics Act, must comply with the requirements of this Act and its regulations before allowing any person to board an aircraft or transporting any person.

• Marginal note:Duty to provide information to Minister

  (2) An air carrier must provide to the Minister within any time and in any manner that may be prescribed by regulation, the following information about each person who is on board or expected to be on board an aircraft for any flight prescribed by regulation, if that information is in the air carrier’s control:

  • (a) their surname, first name and middle names;

  • (b) their date of birth;

  • (c) their gender; and

  • (d) any other information that is prescribed by regulation.

• Marginal note:Deemed fulfilment of duty

  (3) If the information that an air carrier is required to provide under subsection (2) is provided to the Minister by an operator of an aviation reservation system, within any time and in any manner that may be prescribed for the purpose of that subsection, the air carrier is deemed to have provided that information to the Minister under that subsection.

• Marginal note:Duty to provide information on request

  (4) An air carrier or an operator of an aviation reservation system, as the case may be, must provide to the Minister or the Minister of Transport, or to any person or entity referred to in any of paragraphs 10(b) to (f) who is prescribed by regulation, the information that is requested by that Minister, person or entity about any person who is on board or expected to be on board an aircraft for any flight prescribed by regulation, if the information is in the air carrier’s or operator’s control.

• Marginal note:Limitation — Minister and Minister of Transport

  (5) The Minister or the Minister of Transport may request, under subsection (4), only information that is set out in the schedule to the Aeronautics Act or is prescribed by regulation, and he or she may request that information only in respect of a listed person or a person who he or she has reason to believe is a listed person.

• Marginal note:Limitation — other persons or entities

  (6) Any person or entity referred to in any of paragraphs 10(b) to (f) who is prescribed by regulation may request, under subsection (4), only information that is set out in the schedule to the Aeronautics Act or is prescribed by regulation, and they may request that information only in respect of a listed person or a person who they have reason to believe is a listed person and only if the information is to be used for the purpose of assisting the Minister in the administration and enforcement of this Act.

Minister

Marginal note:Delegation

7 The Minister may delegate his or her powers, duties and functions under this Act to any officer or employee, or any class of officers or employees, of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Marginal note:Exemption power — urgent situations, etc.

• 7.1 (1) The Minister may, by order, on any terms that may be specified in the order, exempt an air carrier or a class of air carriers from the application of subsection 6(2) or of a provision of the regulations with respect to any flight specified in the order if, in his or her opinion,

  • (a) the urgency of a situation or circumstances beyond the air carrier’s control would make it difficult for it to comply with that subsection or provision; and

  • (b) the exemption is not likely to adversely affect transportation security.

• Marginal note:Exemption from Statutory Instruments Act

  (2) An order made under subsection (1) is exempt from the application of the Statutory Instruments Act.

Marginal note:Exemption power — tests

7.2 The Minister may, by order, for any period and on any terms that may be specified in the order, exempt an air carrier or a class of air carriers from the application of a provision of the regulations to allow for the conduct of tests, including tests of new kinds of technologies and tests of alternative measures to those set out in the provision, so as to allow him or her to determine whether any changes to the regulations are required as a result, if, in his or her opinion, the exemption is not likely to adversely affect transportation security.

Marginal note:List

• 8 (1) The Minister may establish a list on which is placed the surname, first name and middle names, any alias, the date of birth and the gender of any person, and any other information that is prescribed by regulation that serves to identify the person, if the Minister has reasonable grounds to suspect that the person will

  • (a) engage or attempt to engage in an act that would threaten transportation security; or

  • (b) travel by air for the purpose of committing an act or omission that

    • (i) is an offence under section 83.18, 83.19 or 83.2 of the Criminal Code or an offence referred to in paragraph (c) of the definition terrorism offence in section 2 of that Act, or

    • (ii) if it were committed in Canada, would constitute an offence referred to in subparagraph (i).

• Marginal note:Review of list

  (2) The Minister must review the list every 90 days to determine whether the grounds for which each person’s name was added to the list under subsection (1) still exist and whether the person’s name should remain on the list. The review does not affect the validity of the list.

• Marginal note:Amendment of list

  (3) The Minister may at any time amend the list

  • (a) by deleting the name of a person and all information relating to them if the grounds for which their name was added to the list no longer exist; or

  • (b) by changing the information relating to a listed person.

• Marginal note:Exemption from Statutory Instruments Act

  (4) The list is exempt from the application of the Statutory Instruments Act.

Directions

Marginal note:Directions

• 9 (1) The Minister may direct an air carrier to take a specific, reasonable and necessary action to prevent a listed person from engaging in any act set out in subsection 8(1) and may make directions respecting, in particular,

  • (a) the denial of transportation to a person; or

  • (b) the screening of a person before they enter a sterile area of an airport or board an aircraft.

• Marginal note:Exemption from Statutory Instruments Act

  (2) A direction made under subsection (1) is exempt from the application of the Statutory Instruments Act.

Collection and Disclosure of Information

Marginal note:Assistance to Minister

10 The following persons or entities may assist the Minister in the administration and enforcement of this Act, including by collecting information from, and disclosing information to, the Minister and each other:

• (a) the Minister of Transport;

• (b) the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration;

• (c) a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or a civilian employee of that police force;

• (d) the Director or an employee of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service;

• (e) an officer or employee of the Canada Border Services Agency; and

• (f) any other person or entity prescribed by regulation.

Marginal note:Pre-flight verification of identity

10.1 The Minister may, for the purpose of issuing a unique identifier to a person to assist with the verification of their identity before a flight, collect any personal information that they provide.

Marginal note:Identification of listed persons

10.2 The Minister may, for the purpose of identifying listed persons who are on board or expected to be on board an aircraft,

• (a) collect the information that is provided under subsection 6(2) or deemed to have been provided under subsection 6(3); and

• (b) collect the information that is provided under subsection 6(4).

Marginal note:Disclosure of information provided under subsection 6(2)

• 10.3 (1) The Minister may disclose information that is provided under subsection 6(2) or deemed to have been provided under subsection 6(3)

  • (a) for the purpose of obtaining assistance in identifying listed persons who are on board or expected to be on board an aircraft, if the information relates to a person who the Minister has reason to believe is a listed person; and

  • (b) for the purpose of complying with a subpoena or document issued or order made by a court, person or body with jurisdiction to compel the production of information or with rules of court relating to the production of information.

• Marginal note:Listed persons

  (2) Subject to section 12, the Minister may, for the purpose of ensuring transportation security or preventing the travel referred to in paragraph 8(1)(b), disclose information that is provided under subsection 6(2) or deemed to have been provided under subsection 6(3), if the information relates to a listed person.

Marginal note:Disclosure of other information

11 Subject to section 12, the Minister may, for the purpose of ensuring transportation security or preventing the travel referred to in paragraph 8(1)(b), disclose information that is obtained in the exercise or performance of his or her powers, duties or functions under this Act, other than information that is provided under subsection 6(2) or deemed to have been provided under subsection 6(3).

Marginal note:Foreign states

12 The Minister may enter into a written arrangement with the government of a foreign state, an institution of such a government or an international organization relating to the disclosure of any information that he or she is, under subsection 10.3(2) or section 11, permitted to disclose, and may disclose the list, in whole or in part, to the state, institution or organization only in accordance with the arrangement.

Marginal note:Disclosure to parent

12.1 The Minister may disclose to a child’s parent, or to a child’s guardian or tutor if they have the rights and responsibilities of a parent in relation to the child, that the child is not a listed person.

Marginal note:Minister of Transport

13 The Minister of Transport may, for the purposes of assisting the Minister in the administration and enforcement of this Act,

• (a) disclose the list to air carriers and to operators of aviation reservation systems;

• (b) collect from air carriers and operators of aviation reservation systems any information that is provided under subsection 6(4);

• (c) disclose to air carriers any direction made by the Minister under section 9; and

• (d) disclose information collected from air carriers and operators of aviation reservation systems to the Minister and to any other person or entity referred to in section 10.

Marginal note:Canada Border Services Agency

14 The Canada Border Services Agency may assist the Minister in the administration and enforcement of this Act, including by disclosing to him or her and to any other person or entity referred to in section 10 information that is collected from air carriers and operators of aviation reservation systems in respect of a listed person or of a person about whom the Minister or the Minister of Transport has informed that Agency that he or she has reason to believe that the person is a listed person.

Administrative Recourse

Marginal note:Application to Minister

• 15 (1) A listed person who has been denied transportation as a result of a direction made under section 9 may, within 60 days after the day on which they are denied transportation, apply in writing to the Minister to have their name removed from the list.

• Marginal note:Exceptional circumstances

  (2) If the Minister is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances that warrant it, the Minister may extend the time limit set out in subsection (1).

• Marginal note:Representations

  (3) The Minister must afford the applicant a reasonable opportunity to make representations.

• Marginal note:Application to Minister

  (4) On receipt of the application, the Minister must decide whether there are still reasonable grounds to maintain the applicant’s name on the list.

• Marginal note:Notice of decision to applicant

  (5) The Minister must give notice without delay to the applicant of any decision made in respect of the application.

• Marginal note:Deemed decision

  (6) If the Minister does not make a decision in respect of the application within a period of 120 days after the day on which the application is received — or within a further period of 120 days, if the Minister does not have sufficient information to make a decision and he or she notifies the applicant of the extension within the first 120-day period — the Minister is deemed to have decided to remove the applicant’s name from the list.

Appeals

Marginal note:Decisions under this Act

• 16 (1) This section applies in respect of any appeal of any direction made under section 9 and any decision made under section 8 or 15 by the Minister.

• Marginal note:Application

  (2) A listed person who has been denied transportation as a result of a direction made under section 9 may appeal a decision referred to in section 15 to a judge within 60 days after the day on which the notice of the decision referred to in subsection 15(5) is received.

• Marginal note:Extension

  (3) Despite subsection (2), a person may appeal within any further time that a judge may, before or after the end of those 60 days, fix or allow.

• Marginal note:Determination

  (4) If an appeal is made, the judge must, without delay, determine whether the decision is reasonable on the basis of the information available to the judge.

• Marginal note:Removal from list

  (5) If the judge finds that a decision made under section 15 is unreasonable, the judge may order that the appellant’s name be removed from the list.

• Marginal note:Procedure

  (6) The following provisions apply to appeals under this section:

  • (a) [Repealed, 2024, c. 16, s. 95]

  • (b) [Repealed, 2024, c. 16, s. 95]

  • (c) [Repealed, 2024, c. 16, s. 95]

  • (d) the judge must provide the appellant and the Minister with an opportunity to be heard;

  • (e) the judge may receive into evidence anything that, in the judge’s opinion, is reliable and appropriate, even if it is inadmissible in a court of law, and may base a decision on that evidence;

  • (f) [Repealed, 2024, c. 16, s. 95]

  • (g) if the judge determines that information or other evidence provided by the Minister is not relevant or if the Minister withdraws the information or evidence, the judge must not base a decision on that information or other evidence and must return it to the Minister; and

  • (h) the judge must ensure the confidentiality of all information or other evidence that the Minister withdraws.

• Marginal note:For greater certainty

  (6.1) For greater certainty, sections 38.2 to 38.45 of the Canada Evidence Act apply to appeals under this section.

• Definition of judge

  (7) In this section, judge means the Chief Justice of the Federal Court or a judge of that Court designated by the Chief Justice.

Marginal note:Protection of information on appeal

17 Section 16 applies to any appeal of a decision made under that section and to any further appeal, with any necessary modifications.

General

Marginal note:Information destruction — Minister

• 18 (1) Despite any other Act of Parliament, including the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, the Minister must, within seven days after the day on which a flight prescribed by regulation departs or, if the flight is cancelled, within seven days after the day on which it is cancelled, destroy any document or record containing the following information about a person who is or was on board or was expected to be on board an aircraft for the flight, unless that information is reasonably required for the purposes of this Act:

  • (a) any information that is provided to the Minister under subsection 6(2) or is deemed to have been provided to the Minister under subsection 6(3);

  • (b) any information that is provided to the Minister under subsection 6(4); and

  • (c) any information that is disclosed to the Minister under paragraph 13(d), if that information was originally provided to the Minister of Transport under subsection 6(4).

• Marginal note:Information destruction — Minister of Transport, etc.

  (2) Despite any other Act of Parliament, including the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, the Minister of Transport and any person or entity who is prescribed by regulation for the purpose of subsection 6(4) must, within seven days after the day on which a flight prescribed by regulation departs or, if the flight is cancelled, within seven days after the day on which it is cancelled, destroy any document or record containing information about a person who is or was on board or was expected to be on board an aircraft for the flight that is provided to that Minister, person or entity under subsection 6(4), unless that information is reasonably required for the purposes of this Act.

• Marginal note:Information destruction — section 10 persons and entities

  (3) Despite any other Act of Parliament, including the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, the Minister and any other person or entity referred to in section 10 must, within seven days after the day on which a flight prescribed by regulation departs or, if the flight is cancelled, within seven days after the day on which it is cancelled, destroy any document or record containing any of the following information about a person who is or was on board or was expected to be on board an aircraft for the flight that is disclosed to that Minister, person or entity under section 10, unless that information is reasonably required for the purposes of this Act:

  • (a) information that was originally provided to the Minister under subsection 6(2) or is deemed to have been provided to the Minister under subsection 6(3); and

  • (b) information that was originally provided to the Minister, the Minister of Transport or any other person or entity under subsection 6(4).

Marginal note:Rights preserved

19 For greater certainty, nothing in this Act limits or prohibits the collection, use, disclosure or retention of any information if that collection, use, disclosure or retention is otherwise lawful.

Prohibitions

Marginal note:Prohibition — list

• 20 (1) It is prohibited to disclose the list, except as required for the purposes of sections 10, 11, 12 and 13.

• Marginal note:Prohibition — general

  (2) It is prohibited to disclose whether or not any individual is or was a listed person, except

  • (a) for the purposes of sections 10 and 10.3 to 16;

  • (b) as required to enforce any law of Canada or a province or to carry out a lawful activity;

  • (c) for the purpose of complying with a subpoena or document issued or order made by a court, person or body with jurisdiction to compel the production of information or for the purpose of complying with rules of court relating to the production of information;

  • (d) in the case where an individual discloses that he or she is or was a listed person; or

  • (e) if the Minister has disclosed under section 12.1 that the individual is not a listed person, in the case where anyone further discloses that information.

• Marginal note:Prohibition — air carriers

  (3) Despite subsection (2), it is prohibited for an air carrier or an operator of an aviation reservation system to disclose any information relating to a listed person, or whether or not any individual is or was a listed person, except

  • (a) for the purposes of sections 6 and 30;

  • (b) for the purpose of complying with a subpoena or document issued or order made by a court, person or body with jurisdiction to compel the production of information or for the purpose of complying with rules of court relating to the production of information; or

  • (c) if the Minister has disclosed under section 12.1 that the individual is not a listed person, in the case where anyone further discloses that information.

Marginal note:Prohibition — persons and goods

• 21 (1) If a direction made under section 9 requires a person to be screened, that person must not enter or remain in an aircraft or sterile area unless the person permits a screening, or screenings, to be carried out as required by the direction, of

  • (a) their person; or

  • (b) the goods that the person intends to take or have placed on board the aircraft or, as the case may be, the goods that the person has taken or has had placed on board the aircraft or has taken into the sterile area.

• Marginal note:Prohibition — air carriers

  (2) If a direction made under section 9 requires a person to be screened, an air carrier must not transport that person unless they have been screened in accordance with the direction.

Marginal note:Obstruction

22 A person must not wilfully obstruct any person who is exercising or performing their powers, duties or functions under this Act.

Offences and Punishment

Marginal note:Contravention

• 23 (1) Every person who contravenes section 6, 20 or 21 or a direction made under section 9 or any provision of any regulation made under this Act is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

• Marginal note:Contravention of section 22

  (2) Every person who contravenes section 22 is guilty of

  • (a) an indictable offence; or

  • (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.

• Marginal note:Punishment — individuals

  (3) An individual who is convicted of an indictable offence under subsection (2) is liable to a fine of not more than $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of not more than one year, or to both.

• Marginal note:Punishment — corporations

  (4) A corporation that is convicted of an indictable offence under subsection (2) is liable to a fine of not more than $500,000.

• Marginal note:Imprisonment precluded in certain cases

  (5) If a person is convicted of an offence under this Act punishable on summary conviction, imprisonment must not be imposed as punishment for the offence or in default of payment of any fine imposed as punishment.

• Marginal note:Recovery of fines

  (6) If a person is convicted of an offence under this Act and the fine that is imposed is not paid when required, on production in the superior court of any province, the conviction must be registered in the court and when registered has the same force and effect, and all proceedings may be taken on it, as if the conviction were a judgment in that court obtained by Her Majesty in right of Canada against the convicted person for a debt of the amount of the fine.

• Marginal note:Recovery of costs and charges

  (7) All reasonable costs and charges attendant on the registration of the conviction are recoverable in the same manner as if they had been registered as part of the conviction.

Marginal note:Defence

24 A person is not to be found to have contravened a provision of this Act, other than section 22, or of its regulations, or a direction made under section 9, if the person exercised all due diligence to prevent the contravention.

Prosecution

Marginal note:Limitation period

25 No proceedings by way of summary conviction under this Act are to be instituted after 12 months from the day on which the subject matter of the proceedings arose.

Marginal note:Proof of documents

26 In any action or proceeding under this Act, any document purporting to be certified by the Minister or the Minister of Transport to be a true copy of a document made, given or issued under this Act is, without proof of the signature or of the official character of the person appearing to have signed the document, evidence

• (a) of the original document of which it purports to be a copy;

• (b) of the fact that the original document was made, given or issued by or by the authority of or deposited with the person named in it and was made, given, issued or deposited at the time stated in the certified copy, if a time is stated in it; and

• (c) of the fact that the original document was signed, certified, attested or executed by the persons and in the manner shown in the certified copy.

Marginal note:Document entries as proof

27 In any action or proceeding under this Act, an entry in any record required under any provision of this Act or its regulations to be kept is, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, proof of the matters stated in it as against the person who made the entry or was required to keep the record.

Inspection Powers

Marginal note:Powers to enter, seize and detain

• 28 (1) The Minister of Transport may

  • (a) enter any place, including any aircraft, aerodrome or other aviation facility or any premises used by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, for the purposes of making inspections or audits relating to the verification of compliance with this Act, regardless of whether or not the inspection or audit relates to that place or to the person who possesses, occupies or controls it; and

  • (b) remove any document or other thing from the place where the inspection or audit is being carried out for examination or, in the case of a document, for copying.

• Marginal note:Operation of computer systems and copying equipment

  (2) In carrying out an inspection or audit in any place referred to in paragraph (1)(a), the Minister of Transport may

  • (a) use or cause to be used any computer system or data processing system at the place to examine any data contained in, or available to, the system;

  • (b) reproduce any record, or cause it to be reproduced from the data, in the form of a printout or other intelligible output, and remove the printout or other output for examination or copying; and

  • (c) use or cause to be used any copying equipment at the place to make copies of any books, records, electronic data or other documents.

• Marginal note:Search warrants

  (3) Sections 487 to 492 of the Criminal Code apply in respect of any offence committed or suspected to have been committed under this Act.

Marginal note:No offence

29 A person authorized by the Minister of Transport to verify compliance with the provisions of this Act or its regulations or with directions made under section 9 or to test the effectiveness of equipment, systems and processes used with respect to the list does not commit an offence if the person commits any act or omission that is required in the course of any such verification or testing and that would otherwise constitute a contravention of this Act or its regulations.

Marginal note:Duty to assist Minister

30 The owner or person who is in possession or control of a place that is inspected or audited under subsection 28(1) and every person who is found in the place must

• (a) give the Minister of Transport all reasonable assistance to enable him or her to carry out the inspection or audit and exercise any power conferred on him or her under that subsection; and

• (b) provide the Minister of Transport with any information that is reasonably required for the purpose of exercising or performing his or her powers, duties or functions under this Act.

Marginal note:Compliance order

• 31 (1) If the Minister of Transport is of the opinion that an air carrier has failed to comply with any provision of this Act or its regulations or with any direction made under section 9, that Minister may order any person to do, or to refrain from doing, anything that, in that Minister’s opinion, is reasonable and necessary to do or refrain from doing in order to ensure compliance and may make orders respecting, in particular

  • (a) the movement of aircraft or persons at aerodromes or other aviation facilities; and

  • (b) the diversion of aircraft to alternate landing sites.

• Marginal note:Exemption from Statutory Instruments Act

  (2) An order made under subsection (1) is exempt from the application of the Statutory Instruments Act.

Regulations

Marginal note:Regulations

32 The Governor in Council may make regulations for the purpose of the administration and enforcement of this Act, including regulations

• (a) respecting the verification of air passenger identity;

• (b) respecting the use and protection of directions made under section 9 and the use and protection of information that is provided by the Minister or the Minister of Transport to air carriers and to operators of aviation reservation systems;

• (c) prohibiting an air carrier from transporting a passenger in circumstances in which the passenger does not resemble their identification; and

• (d) prescribing anything that may be prescribed under this Act.

Transitional Provision

Marginal note:Section 16

33 Section 16 applies to any decision in respect of a listed person made before the day on which this Act comes into force

• (a) by the Minister under paragraph 4.81(1)(b) of the Aeronautics Act following the transfer of the Minister of Transport’s powers, duties and functions to the Minister by Order in Council P.C. 2011-34 of February 1, 2011, registered as SI/2011-10; or

• (b) by the Minister of Transport under section 4.76 of the Aeronautics Act.