CATSA is committed to supporting Government of Canada priorities, as set out in the Speech from the Throne, the government’s budget plans, the mandate letter from the Prime Minister to Cabinet Ministers, and the letter of expectations from the Minister of Transport to the Chairperson of CATSA’s Board of Directors (see Appendix A).
Government of Canada Core Priorities
The Speech from the Throne, the Prime Minister’s May mandate letter to Cabinet and Budget 2025 pronounce several key themes and priorities, many of which align with CATSA’s capabilities and position the organization to contribute substantively. These include building a stronger Canadian economy and enhancing security relationships; protecting Canada’s sovereignty and security; shifting from reliance to resilience; creating a more efficient and effective government; enhancing productivity through innovation and the use of artificial intelligence; delivering on Canada’s diversity, equity and inclusion values; promoting reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples; ensuring an accessible, barrier-free workplace and security screening experience for travellers; and, putting environmental sustainability principles into practice.
In June 2025, the Prime Minister also announced that Canada would dedicate an additional 1.5% of GDP to investments in critical defence and security-related expenditures, such as new airports, ports, telecommunications, emergency preparedness. CATSA is honoured to contribute to this commitment. CATSA has begun reporting eligible expenditures that align with the NATO definition of defence- and security-related investment expenditures, in anticipation of future government reporting to NATO, beginning in 2026.
Cyber Security
CATSA’s Cyber Plan 2025 has integrated the Communications Security Establishment’s (CSE) Canadian Centre for Cyber Security Top 10 Security Actions. The Plan is focused on four priority workstreams: vulnerability management, identity and access management, security monitoring and incident response. It will be reviewed again when the CSE’s security actions list is updated.
Improved Service Delivery
CATSA strives to improve its mandated delivery of security screening services through meeting or exceeding its security effectiveness and wait time service level targets, investing in ongoing professional development for its workforce and screening officers, driving innovation with the implementation of new technologies, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence, implementing life-cycle management plans and collaborating with partners to promote an integrated aviation ecosystem and elevate the client experience.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
CATSA shares the Government of Canada’s commitment to respecting Canada’s diversity and inclusion values as it relates to its workforce and in delivering respectful and inclusive security screening. As part of its efforts, the organization has collaborated with various special interest groups as well as third party service providers to enhance training for CATSA staff and screening officers, on topics such as Indigenous cultural awareness, unconscious bias and accessibility.
In addition to the efforts contained in CATSA’s Employment Equity Plan described in Appendix G, the organization’s Code of Ethics, Conduct and Conflict of Interest, is designed to foster and reinforce a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment for all.
CATSA’s commitments to diversity, equality, inclusion and employment equity are also supported by the adoption of workplace policies and practices that ensure employees from diverse backgrounds have access to reasonable accommodation of their values and traditions.
Progress towards meeting diversity and employment equity goals is actively measured, monitored and evaluated. CATSA submits an annual report on its fulfillment of the Employment Equity Act and the Canadian Multiculturalism Act.
See the Planned Results section for more information on diversity and inclusion at CATSA.
Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
CATSA is fully committed to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, which includes striving towards a workforce that is representative of Indigenous populations and ensuring that sacred and spiritual items are treated respectfully during the screening process.
CATSA continues to deliver in-person, Instructor-Led Learning sessions on Indigenous Cultural Awareness to Facilitators, who are responsible for ensuring passengers travelling with sacred and spiritual items receive proper service. In addition, screening officers are required to take two on-line training sessions, one on Indigenous Cultural Awareness and another on screening procedures for sacred and spiritual items, as part of their initial training program. These courses continue to be an important focus for CATSA as we work with screening contractors to underscore the importance of the procedures for screening sacred and spiritual items. These procedures, which are an ongoing element of CATSA’s screening program, outline best practices for screening items with sensitivity and respect.
Gender-based Analysis Plus
CATSA enables the implementation of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) principles in its decision-making processes, employment and recruitment practices, and operational procedures. Progress on efforts towards creating a barrier-free, inclusive, and sensitive environment is measured against the CATSA’s GBA Plus principles and supports the organization’s objectives related to improving the client experience and creating an inclusive environment for its workforce. The principles have been successful in championing new initiatives, strengthening current processes and identifying gaps. CATSA has implemented successful initiatives including integrating these GBA Plus principles into the project planning process and mandatory GBA Plus training for decision makers.
CATSA is implementing its new Service Strategy with GBA Plus principles at the forefront. This strategy reflects the importance of respectful, sensitive and barrier-free interactions with passengers.
Lastly, the organization’s Diversity and Inclusion Network undertakes strong internal engagement work, educating employees and management on GBA Plus principles and resources.
Ensuring Accessibility for all Canadians
CATSA’s commitment to a barrier-free workplace and security screening experience for all Canadians is paramount in the planning and analysis of programs, practices, policies and services. This focus frames CATSA’s future through an accessibility lens.
CATSA published its second Accessibility Plan in December 2025. The organization continues to progress towards the Accessible Canada Act commitment to a barrier-free Canada by 2040.
In December 2024, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities presented its report entitled Towards Accessible Air Transportation in Canada. The committee made several recommendations focusing on the need to regularly engage with relevant communities, standard requirements for accessibility plans, the reporting of complaints, web accessibility, and strengthening oversight of the requirements pursuant to the ATPDR.
Ongoing engagement with the accessibility community remains a priority through engagement events and consultation with associations representing the interests of persons with disabilities.
Sustainable Development
In September 2015, United Nations Member States, including Canada, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the UN General Assembly.
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs outlined 17 goals for sustainable development. Many of CATSA’s programs and services are maintained and developed in line with the following sustainable development goals:
- Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls;
- Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all;
- Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation;
- Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable;
- Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns;
- Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts; and
- Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
CATSA incorporates UN sustainable development principles into practice, using the goals as a guideline to build a sustainability framework to progress government priorities throughout the organization. CATSA’s existing initiatives including the Accessibility Plan and Employment Equity Plan highlight the organization’s strong foundation of sustainability and equity.
Climate Change
CATSA disclosed its inaugural Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) report within the 2025 Annual Report. This marked an important milestone in CATSA’s sustainability journey. Looking ahead, CATSA is committed to its climate strategy, which includes enhancing reporting of CATSA’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory by incorporating supply chain based indirect (Scope 3) emissions, and remaining resilient by continuing to assess CATSA’s climate-related risks and opportunities. Progress towards CATSA’s climate priorities and targets will be disclosed annually, alongside other climate-related disclosures, in accordance with TCFD.