OTTAWA, Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA today announced the planned retirement of Neil R. Wilson as President & CEO, effective January 30, 2021.
Neil Wilson has been President and CEO of NAV CANADA since January 1, 2016. He joined the Company in 2002 as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary and was promoted to Executive Vice President, Administration and General Counsel in December 2012.
“The Board and I would like to thank Neil for his outstanding service as our Chief Executive Officer over the last five years and throughout his career at NAV CANADA,” said Marc Courtois, Chair of the Board of Directors of NAV CANADA. “With a focus on people and thanks to his exceptional leadership, NAV CANADA remains a world leading air navigation service provider and is well positioned to navigate the unprecedented challenges facing the aviation industry today.”
Neil Wilson leaves behind a legacy of contributions to the aviation industry, including the recent deployment of space-based ADS-B air traffic surveillance technology that will make air travel safer and more efficient for generations to come.
“The Board of Directors, Executive Management Committee and all employees wish him well in his well-earned retirement,” said Courtois.
A successor will be announced by NAV CANADA in due course.
OTTAWA, Oct. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA announced today its traffic figures for the month of September 2020, as measured in weighted charging units for enroute, terminal and oceanic air navigation services, in comparison to the last fiscal year.
Traffic in September 2020 decreased by an average of 62.6 per cent compared to the same month in 2019. NAV CANADA’s fiscal year runs from September 1 to August 31.
Weighted charging units represent a traffic measure that reflects the number of flights, aircraft size and distance flown in Canadian airspace.
OTTAWA, Oct. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA announced that it has been served with a rate appeal as filed by WestJet with the Canadian Transportation Agency (the Agency) in relation to the revised service charges set out in NAV CANADA’s Announcement of Revised Service Charges dated August 12, 2020. The Agency is the designated appeal body for NAV CANADA charges pursuant to the provisions of the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act.
NAV CANADA and WestJet are in the process of considering mediation. If mediation is not undertaken or if mediation is pursued but is not successful, after considering the submissions of both WestJet and NAV CANADA, the Agency must decide the appeal within 60 days, unless the Agency is of the opinion that there are special circumstances involved in the determination of the appeal. In this case, the Agency would have a further 30 days to decide the appeal.
In the meantime, the revised overall rate levels implemented on September 1, 2020, which represent an average 29.5 per cent increase from previous rates, will remain in effect, as will the related payment deferral mechanisms.
“NAV CANADA will vigorously defend the appeal but remains hopeful that a mediation will resolve matters between the two parties,” said Leigh Ann Kirby, Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, NAV CANADA.
Company that runs Canadian air navigation experiencing ‘toughest moment in its history,’ CEO says
CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2020
Nav Canada is not immune to the ‘new realities of air traffic levels’ during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company said in a release this week. (CBC)
The company in charge of Canadian air navigation is laying off hundreds of employees across the country, and closing its Winnipeg operations, as COVID-19 continues to throttle the airline industry.
Including newly announced layoffs, Nav Canada has eliminated more than 720 jobs — 14 per cent of its workforce — and plans to close its flight information centres in Winnipeg and Halifax, the company said in a news release this week.
“Undoubtedly, the company is in the midst of the toughest moment in its history,” said Neil Wilson, Nav Canada CEO.
Nav Canada is a private, non-profit company that operates air navigation across the country.
Air traffic services won’t be affected by the change, the company says. Pilots and dispatchers will get the information they need from other flight information centres.
Nav Canada is also looking at service levels at 24 different locations across the country, including four in Manitoba, in Brandon, Flin Flon, Churchill and The Pas.
The company cited the “new realities of air traffic levels” and the negative impact on the industry in its news release.
Earlier this month, officials at Winnipeg’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport said passenger traffic at the city’s main airport dropped from more than 10,000 people a day in 2019 to fewer than 900 a day this year.
“Nav Canada is not immune to the economic downturn and severe financial impacts the aviation industry is experiencing,” Wilson said in the release.
‘Aviation workers have stepped up’: MPs
Cuts at Nav Canada reach across all departments and include most of the current cohort of operational students, the company said in its release.
The reductions follow layoffs at the Winnipeg Airports Authority, which laid off one-quarter of its Winnipeg staff in June. The layoffs amounted to losing 35 positions, although only 28 were filled at the time, a spokesperson said in June.
Two Conservative Manitoba members of Parliament, along with Conservative transport critic Stephanie Kusie (Calgary Midnapore) issued a joint statement Thursday on the layoffs.
Kusie, along with Marty Morantz (Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley) and James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman), criticized the Liberal government for not addressing aviation industry challenges in Wednesday’s throne speech.
“When Canada had a shortage of [personal protective equipment] at the start of this pandemic, it was aviation workers who stepped up and worked to bring shipments of PPE to front-line workers,” the statement says.
“Aviation workers have stepped up when Canadians needed them. The Trudeau government must step up and deliver a plan to help these workers get back on their feet.”
Navigational company blames COVID-19, which has cut flights by more than 90 per cent
CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2020
NAV Canada provides navigation services for airplanes across the country, but is closing its Halifax operation. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
COVID-19’s devastating impact on the aviation industry has claimed 11 more jobs in Halifax.
NAV Canada, which provides navigation services across the country, is closing its Halifax flight information centre.
In a statement, NAV Canada spokesperson Brian Boudreau said the negative impact on air travel from the pandemic has caused the corporation to “streamline” its operations in Nova Scotia.
Other flight information centres will take over providing services in the Halifax area. The corporation is also reviewing the services it provides to Sydney airport.
Sydney receives traffic, weather and other information remotely from the flight service station in Charlottetown.
3.7M fewer passengers this year
Earlier this week, the Atlantic Canada Airports Association (ACAA), which represents 11 airports in the region, said air travel in Atlantic Canada is down 92 per cent in the period from April to the end of August, compared to the same period last year. The ACAA said that was a decline of 3.7 million passengers.
Many airports count on the summer season to boost revenues to help them make it through slower travel periods.
The flight information centres provide services over the phone, including flight-planning services, in-depth interpretive weather information, and en-route details, Boudreau said.
NAV Canada is a private, non-profit corporation.
“In terms of any local job losses, our hearts go out to everyone in our industry who has been affected, both personally and professionally,” said Tiffany Chase, spokesperson for the Halifax International Airport.
Chase said the Halifax airport had about 5,600 people working there prior to the pandemic but she said a “significant number” of those jobs have been lost due to COVID-19.
She said they’re forecasting a 50 per cent loss in jobs in the aviation industry across Canada because of the pandemic. “That’s a staggering statistic,” she said.
OTTAWA, Sept. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA today made the difficult decision to eliminate permanent jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant negative impact on global air traffic and on the aviation industry. To adapt to the new realities of air traffic levels, the company is also taking steps to safely streamline operations and will be launching level of service reviews for certain aerodromes.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company had 5,100 employees nationwide. Including the previous reduction in staffing of temporary employees in the spring and early retirements, the company has reduced more than 720 jobs or 14 per cent of the workforce. NAV CANADA will continue to monitor air traffic activity across the country and adapt its operations and workforce accordingly as necessary.
“Undoubtedly, the company is in the midst of the toughest moment in its history. NAV CANADA is not immune to the economic downturn and severe financial impacts the aviation industry is experiencing,” said Neil Wilson, President and CEO.
Cost containment strategies commenced as soon as the pandemic was declared. Prior to today’s layoffs, NAV CANADA reduced management compensation, deferred retroactive wage increases with bargaining units and offered a voluntary retirement program to minimize cash outflows. NAV CANADA has also benefited from the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy program.
NAV CANADA is working closely with labour unions to adapt the size of its workforce in response to the persisting low air traffic levels. The cuts are across all departments and include most of the current cohort of operational students.
The company will also close its flight information centres in Winnipeg and Halifax. Pilots and dispatchers will continue to receive the same vital information they need, including flight-planning services, in-depth interpretive weather information and en-route flight information, which will be provided by the remaining flight information centres. Air traffic services will not be impacted by this change.
NAV CANADA must continue to fulfill its commitment to efficiently run Canada’s air navigation system, ensuring that the services supplied align with market demands. In the coming weeks, aeronautical studies will be launched for multiple aerodromes to assess the level of service required to provide safe and efficient operations for our airline, air cargo and general aviation customers.
Aeronautical studies apply a safety-focused and Transport Canada regulated process, which NAV CANADA has followed in support of its globally recognized safety record for more than 20 years. This rigorous, systematic approach provides for full consultation with all affected stakeholders, with the key factor being safety.
“The aviation industry is contracting and faces profound changes. We continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic and will continue to take steps as they are necessary to align service with traffic levels while maintaining the integrity of the air navigation system,” said Neil Wilson, President and CEO.
Today’s changes will not have any operational impact on the safe delivery of air navigation services across the country.
Quick Facts
A private, non-profit corporation, NAV CANADA provides air traffic control, airport advisory services, weather briefings and aeronautical information services for more than 18 million square kilometers of Canadian domestic and oceanic airspace.
Under the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act, NAV CANADA recovers its operating expense through service charges from its customers on a breakeven basis.
NAV CANADA’s customers include airlines, air cargo operators, air charter operators, air taxis, helicopter operators, and business and general aviation.
Aeronautical studies will be launched to assess levels of service in Saint-Jean QC, Castlegar BC, Churchill MB, High Level AB, Peace River AB, Brandon MB, Fort Nelson BC, Fort St John BC, Inuvik NWT, Lloydminster AB, Norman Wells NWT, Port Hardy BC, Prince Albert SK, Red Deer AB, Sept-Îles QC, Dawson Creek BC, Fort McMurray AB, Flin Flon MB, The Pas MB, Buffalo Narrows SK, Kuujjuarapik QC, Blanc Sablon QC, Natashquan QC, and Sydney NS. The terms of reference for these studies will be posted on navcanada.ca in the coming weeks.
Aeronautical studies consider all relevant factors, including traffic volume, mix and distribution throughout the day; weather; airport and airspace configuration; surface activity; and the efficiency requirements of operators using the service. Formal consultation with stakeholders is central to all aeronautical studies.
NAV CANADA’s safety record is irrefutably one of the best in the world amongst air navigation service providers. We have achieved this record based on a regulated decision-making approach with safety at the very core of all that we do.
OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA announced today its traffic figures for the month of August 2020, as measured in weighted charging units for enroute, terminal and oceanic air navigation services, in comparison to the last fiscal year.
Traffic in August 2020 decreased by an average of 65.6 per cent compared to the same month in 2019. NAV CANADA’s fiscal year runs from September 1 to August 31.
Weighted charging units represent a traffic measure that reflects the number of flights, aircraft size and distance flown in Canadian airspace.
OTTAWA, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NAV CANADA has commenced a trial to provide Aerodrome Advisory Services (AAS) at Fredericton International Airport (CYFC) remotely from Saint John, New Brunswick (CYSJ) using Searidge Technologies’ Enhanced Airport Vision Display (EAVD).
The trial, which integrates the EAVD platform into NAV CANADA’s operational display suite, aims to demonstrate how certified video technology can increase levels of safety, efficiency and flexibility in air traffic services and aircraft operations.
Flight Service Specialists will benefit from increased situational awareness with a clear and real-time view of the airfield operating areas and surrounding airspace, which will support service enhancements such as the control of vehicles on the ground.
This remote services trial builds upon past successes with Searidge Technologies, where installations in Red Deer, Kingston, Lethbridge, London, Vancouver and Winnipeg have leveraged camera technologies to enhance operations by providing air traffic services staff with the ability to see beyond line-of-sight obstacles.
The trial, which is anticipated to run until the fall, has received Transport Canada approval and will assess safety and efficiency benefits of the new service enhancements enabled through aviation-grade video capability.
Quotes
“This made-in-Canada technology has the potential to become an important, adaptive service delivery solution, allowing NAV CANADA to respond cost-effectively and efficiently to changes in demand while enhancing safety through increased situational awareness,” said Ben Girard, Vice President and Chief of Operations.
“Being a Canadian company, we are extremely proud to be supporting NAV CANADA and Transport Canada as they assess the benefits of our Enhanced Airport Vision Display platform for domestic operations. NAV CANADA has been a close partner of ours for many years, this is an excellent demonstration of how, together, we continue to bring innovation to air traffic management,” said Moodie Cheikh, CEO, Searidge Technologies.
“ATSAC looks forward to proving this technology. With it, Flight Service Specialists will have another tool to move the flying public into and out of airports across this Country with added safety. Great collaboration between the 3 entities involved,” said Elizabeth O’Hurley, President, Air Traffic Specialist Association of Canada.
Quick Facts
The Transport Canada-approved trial will allow Flight Service Specialist to deliver Aerodrome Advisory Services (AAS) remotely, adding an important layer of situational awareness to existing surveillance displays.
Searidge Technologies has deployed this technology at many international locations around the world as part of their digital tower platform, where digitalization provides increased safety and efficiency benefits to airport and air traffic management operations.
NAV CANADA’s ATM platform is fully integrated with Searidge technology to provide seamless operations for flight service specialists.
Facilities across Canada benefiting by combining digital technology with existing operations include Red Deer, Kingston and Lethbridge FSS, and London, Vancouver Harbour, Vancouver International and Winnipeg Towers.
OTTAWA, Sept. 03, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In a release issued under the same headline on Sept. 02, 2020 by NAV CANADA, please note that the headline of the table should have read “Aerodrome Advisory Service” and not “Remote Aerodrome Advisory Service”. The corrected release follows:
NAV CANADA today announced that it will restore regular nighttime air navigation services in Red Deer, AB and Prince Albert, SK beginning September 3, 2020. With this announcement, regular nighttime service will now be restored across the country.
In May 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic NAV CANADA temporarily suspended overnight air navigation services at 18 facilities, including air traffic control towers, flight service stations and locations which receive remote airport aerodrome advisory service. These measures reduced the exposure of NAV CANADA’s essential employees to the coronavirus, while ensuring that critical air navigation services remained available when they were most needed.
After considering both the regional public health environment and operational requirements, the temporary suspension of overnight air traffic services has been gradually lifted at all 18 facilities.
NAV CANADA remains fully committed to safeguarding the health of our employees and the resiliency of our services. The company will remain vigilant and regularly reassess the COVID-19 situation.
Quick Facts
Midnight operations will be restored at the following sites.
Aerodrome Advisory Service
Site
Effective Date
Effective Time
Red Deer, AB
September 3, 2020
21:45 local
Prince Albert, SK
September 3, 2020
22:00 local
Pilots can receive detailed information about these new levels of service through NOTAM.
The need for temporary measures at sites will continue to be assessed based on the prevailing regional public health environment and operational considerations.
Safeguard measures, including enhanced cleaning protocols and restricting visitor access remains in effect at all NAV CANADA operational units.
By Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press – September 1, 2020
A WestJet airlines plane at the Ottawa airport Wednesday June 26, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
WestJet Airlines Ltd. is raising its surcharges on domestic flights in response to a 30 per cent rate increase by Nav Canada, which operates air navigation across the country.
The airline says it has hiked the fee it charges for air traffic control services by between $4 and $7 per passenger, depending on flight duration.
It also says it is looking into an appeal of the rate increase, which is effective Tuesday, and will scrap the surcharge if the move is successful.
“We are deeply concerned the Nav Canada rate increase will lead to a further reduction in the number of travellers,” WestJet CEO Ed Sims said in statement.
“We are sympathetic to their situation, like ours, where a lack of sector-specific federal support has hindered their ability to recover. Burdening travellers who have been severely impacted by this pandemic with incremental costs will only serve to undermine Canada’s economic recovery.”
Air Canada said it is still reviewing the impact of the decision, which Nav Canada announced in May. Transat plans to adjust its fares to reflect the higher cost, rather than include it as a surcharge.
The rate hike represents a “significant additional cost” for carriers, underscoring the “shortcomings” of the country’s user-pay model and hindering the industry’s already uncertain recovery, said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick.
Meanwhile some airports have said they will increase their airport improvement fees by half after laying off hundreds of staff, adding to carriers’ financial worries.
Robert Kokonis, president of Toronto-based consulting firm AirTrav Inc., says the fee boost at Nav Canada will hit travellers trying to visit friends and family the hardest, as domestic business travel has largely dried up.
“These are people that are also suffering economically, and to ask them to come up with an additional X amount of dollars is adding insult to a very grievous injury,” Kokonis said.
The higher surcharge at WestJet could cost a family of four up to an extra $56 on a round trip.
Canada, unlike countries including France, Germany and the United States, has held off on sector-specific support for carriers. Instead Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rolled out financial aid available across industries, including the federal wage subsidy _ now extended to December _ and loans starting at $60 million for large firms.
“Ottawa is fiddling while the house is burning. I can’t say it any better. They are all frustrated that nothing is coming out of Ottawa,” Kokonis said of Canadian airlines.
Transat spokesman Christophe Hennebelle criticized Canada’s continued blanket restriction on foreign travellers and called for more financial aid.
“Nav Canada has no other option but to increase its service charge. However, this can only worsen the situation,” Hennebelle said in an email, highlighting the “complete collapse in passenger volumes.”
To draw customers back to the skies, carriers north of the border have largely done away with change fees until a couple days before takeoff.
In the U.S., United Airlines scrapped its US$200 change fee for domestic flights on Sunday.
