Planning and Results 

In support of its core mandate to protect the travelling public by providing the highest level of aviation security screening, CATSA’s strategic objectives are categorized within four overarching pillars:

• Promote an integrated aviation ecosystem;
• Elevate the client experience;
• Drive innovation; and
• Invest in our people for tomorrow.

Objectives and Activities

Strategic Pillar: Promote an integrated aviation ecosystem

Through collaboration and information sharing, CATSA will implement process improvements and realize opportunities for alignment across the aviation ecosystem. The organization will work with its partners to provide the best possible experience to its clients, enhance ecosystem efficiency, and improve security effectiveness.

Priority 1: Maximize opportunities for collective engagement

CATSA will expand engagement and collaboration with its partners. This will facilitate the achievement of common goals and objectives, and ensure the aviation industry continues to thrive. The organization will also leverage its relationships with partners in the international community, proactively sharing information and plans for future innovations. As part of this important work, CATSA will:

• Proactively maximize stakeholder engagement opportunities by aligning objectives, modernizing communications products directed to industry, driving risk-based outcomes, and further building industry partnerships. This will enhance collaboration, data-sharing and integration of the aviation ecosystem;
• Continue to improve collaboration and engagement with the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL), the CTA, special interest groups, aviation partners, and others to improve services to travellers who are diverse in needs, abilities and languages;
• Strengthen external accessibility partnerships and execute plans to remove barriers at security checkpoints and improve the end-to-end passenger journey; and
• Update and execute the Domestic Stakeholder Engagement Strategy to improve the efficacy of collective engagement efforts.

Priority 2: Advance industry harmonization and share best practices

CATSA will maintain strong and positive working relationships with its partners and the Government of Canada to advance common goals and interests. CATSA will:

• Work with the Government of Canada to secure sustainable long-term funding for CATSA’s operations and capital investments beyond 2026/27 to ensure it can fully deliver on its mandate;
• Continue to engage and collaborate proactively, openly and positively with Transport Canada, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Finance Canada, and other partners to secure resources and other supports to execute on plans and priorities that enable air travel and Canada’s economy;
• Maintain regular communication with airport authorities to facilitate and collaborate on equipment deployment projects, operational opportunities and initiatives aimed at enhancing the passenger experience;
• Engage with suppliers and international aviation security partners on initiatives to enhance security effectiveness and the passenger experience, including continued participation in the Airports Council International’s SmartSecurity; and
• Leverage collaboration with other Crown corporations through various forums to exchange best practices, advance digital transformation, explore artificial intelligence applications, and identify efficiencies that strengthen governance, innovation, and service delivery.

Strategic Pillar: Elevate the client experience

CATSA will create a reliable, consistent, respectful, and barrier-free screening experience for all its clients at designated airports across the country and is wholly committed to learning from our clients to elevate the end-to-end experience.

Priority 1: Deliver continuous improvement for our clients

CATSA is dedicated to enhancing the client experience while also securing critical elements of the air transportation system. The organization will:

• Sustain a high annual wait time service level where 95% of passengers wait less than 15 minutes to be screened;
• Advance the Service Strategy to ensure the efficient movement of people, enhance accessibility and lessen touchpoints at security checkpoints through automation, and provide greater passenger autonomy through biometrics; and
• Further the automation of wait time data collection and enhance feedback mechanisms to improve performance tracking and oversight.

Priority 2: Engage community advocacy organizations

Engagement allows CATSA to conduct operations with a deeper understanding of the needs of the clients it serves. To foster positive relationships and deliver a security screening experience built on a foundation of public trust, CATSA will:

• Implement more accessible screening at PBS checkpoints pursuant to the 2026-2029 Accessibility Plan;
• Enhance engagement with broader communities, including accessibility and diversity special interest groups and official language minority communities, to improve the traveller experience by removing barriers; and
• Communicate important information to partners and clients to enhance the end-to-end passenger journey.

Strategic Pillar: Drive innovation

CATSA embraces innovation through agility, a problem-solving mindset, new processes, and technology. With a renewed commitment to sharing its success both internally and externally, the organization will create an environment where innovation, curiosity, and outside-the-box thinking are not only valued but celebrated.

Priority 1: Enhance security effectiveness and screening efficiency

Due to the dynamic nature of the aviation industry, including evolving threats and regulatory changes, it is necessary for CATSA to accelerate investments in several key areas to deliver effective and efficient security screening services. Over the planning period, CATSA will:

• Collaborate with Transport Canada to obtain approval for the deployment of new screening technologies;
• Maximize CT and modular CATSA Plus deployments to increase efficiency and effectiveness;
• Implement biometrics deployments at PBS to improve efficiency;
• Make enhancements for passengers to CATSA AI Assist, AI Chatbots and interactive maps to enhance the passenger experience;
• Refine explosive algorithms at HBS checkpoints to increase effectiveness;
• Expand artificial intelligence oversight at non-passenger screening terminals/vehicles checkpoints to increase efficiency;
• Evolve its predictive preventative maintenance and predictive passenger forecasting capabilities to enhance efficiency;
• Proceed with the trial and rollout of new artificial intelligence driven detection algorithms to reduce full-body scanner alarms and enhance the security effectiveness of current screening equipment;
• Continue to work closely with Transport Canada to implement non-passenger screening enhancements and deploy CT X-rays at PBS checkpoints to increase security effectiveness;
• Evolve operational systems and technologies related to training and training data to increase productivity and efficiency;
• Modernize the RAIC technology; and
• Continue to pursue screening equipment continuous improvement initiatives to increase equipment availability for PBS CT X-rays, HBS CT X-rays and CATSA Plus lines.

Priority 2: Champion forward-thinking solutions

CATSA fosters a culture of innovation that promotes and celebrates new ideas, novel processes, and the adoption of new technologies to solve emerging challenges. To further enhance security effectiveness, strengthen operational performance, and improve the overall passenger experience, the organization will:

• Enhance research and development to adopt new technologies and best practices that improve operational efficiency by leveraging digital tools, automation, and data-driven solutions that streamline workflows, reduce costs, and enhance performance;
• Launch the initial virtual walkthrough, an immersive learning tool for screening officers related to non-passenger screening at Class 1 airports;
• Progress the implementation of the networking of screening equipment for performance monitoring and optimisation for PBS CT X-rays and full body scanners; 
• Continue to mature the testing and evaluation of eventual integration of APIDS, once they meet the necessary regulatory detection standards, to increase security effectiveness and efficiency;
• Conduct research on new technologies, identifying opportunities for evaluations and trials to ensure the continued enhancement of security activities;
• Implement the Cyber Plan to mitigate cyber security risks to protect systems and operational technology;
• Continue to identify opportunities for cost savings and enhance financial and operational processes and services through innovative practices; and
• Celebrate employee appreciation by leveraging CATSA’s recognition programs, including the team and individual Innovation awards, to highlight new ideas, successful pilots, and creative problem-solving.

Strategic Pillar: Invest in our people for tomorrow

Investment in CATSA’s employees and in the third-party screening officer workforce is invaluable to its ability to achieve its objectives. CATSA utilizes various strategies and programs to recruit and retain a skilled and specialized workforce, and to create an inclusive, diverse, and engaged work environment.

Priority 1: Nurture an inclusive environment that fosters excellence and engagement

CATSA is committed to providing and promoting a positive work environment and pursuing a well-balanced workforce that reflects the diversity of Canada and meets organizational needs. CATSA will:

• Implement a future-ready organizational structure;
• Prioritize critical backfills and continue enterprise-wide vacancy reviews to determine whether to fill, eliminate or automate those positions;
• Complete a skills gap analysis and act to resolve identified gaps;
• Prioritize responsible artificial intelligence tools, artificial intelligence assisted training, and process simplification for employees;
• Modernize its human resources data platform to improve data integration, efficiency and reporting;
• Introduce new, digital training for screening officers and virtual reality for remote training;
• Deploy tablet-based platforms for mobility and ease of access to enhance services to passengers;
• Introduce a new CATSA employee-focused learning and development program; and
• Invest necessary funds in critical skills training in a targeted manner.

Priority 2: Be an employer of choice

CATSA will focus on the following efforts during the planning period to attract and retain its workforce, support operational excellence, and ensure the organization is equipped to meet evolving demands:

• Optimize location and remote or hybrid work designs, with appropriate diversity, equity and inclusiveness considerations;
• Encourage and value diversity and inclusion, employee engagement, maintaining a welcoming and respectful culture to foster a diverse and passionate workforce;
• Continue to promote a calm, safe, and accessible hybrid workplace by exercising flexibility, ensuring fair work allocations, leveraging rewards and recognition tools, succession planning, and branch teambuilding;
• Address limitations and examine organizational requirements taking into account an evolving labour market and the fiscal environment; and
• Ensure critical change management practices support operational and technological shifts as well as organizational changes needed to address a rapidly evolving environment.