Avionics News March 2017 - 15

CANADA

News & Regulatory Updates
Transport Canada Civil Aviation
introduces the Transformation Project
During the CARAC plenary session in December
2016, Transport Canada introduced the new
Transformation Project. This project began in April
2015 with senior management creating the template
to allow the TCCA to grow in a more effective
manner and for the future. Up until recently, the
transformation project has been developing internally
and is now beginning to involve all stakeholders.
Some of the factors contributing to this project
being set in motion have been the growth in
commercial traffic and aerospace manufacturing in
Canada. Canada's aerospace manufacturing sector is
expected to grow 22 percent in the next five years,
which will be faster than the global rate. In addition,
during the last 10 years, there has been significant
change in the way the TCCA carries out its business.
The introduction of SMS and the introduction of a
system-based oversight program have had a large
impact on the TCCA's functioning. The matrix nature
of the TCCA leadership (regions not reporting to the
director general) has made it challenging in delivering
an efficient and standardized program. The TCCA
must have the ability to react rapidly to changing
design and operational practices and to maintain its
credibility internationally.
The goals of the transformation project are as follows:
*	 Ensure sufficient executive leadership to
provide coherent strategic direction and pace of
modernization.
*	 Provide focal point for industry and regions on
key program areas.
*	 Provide capacity to react to emerging
trends brought by rapid global change and
technological advancements.
*	 Better position the TCCA, both strategically
and operationally, to meet existing and future
challenges.
There are seven areas of action: governance,
leadership, oversight, regulatory program
modernization, supporting our people, organizational
structure, and technological improvement. Each of
these will have specific goals and outcomes set.

Interestingly, the regulatory program modernization
is an area with a strong focus that hopes to allow for
more agile development and implementation. This
will be challenging as the TCCA has to work within
the bounds of the overall government practices, and
the normal timeframe to change a regulation is five
to seven years. This is certainly not quick enough
to capture the rapidly changing technology in the
aerospace sector.
As of yet, there have not been specific dates set
for meetings or further actions. However, with the
overall budget constraints and the increasing business
in the aerospace sector, this project will have to move
quickly to keep pace.

New CARAC charter introduced
During the CARAC plenary session in December
2016, a new charter was introduced. It identifies the
CARAC body as follows:
*	 Plenary made up of all CARAC members.
*	 National Civil Aviation Management Executive
Board made up of senior management in all
functional areas.
*	 Director that is the director of standards and the
director of policy and regulatory services.
*	 Focus groups that are selected at various points
in the regulatory development process from
industry and the TCCA.
*	 Special technical committees that are formed
from the industry, the TCCA and other
interested parties.
*	 The secretariat that provides the management of
the CARAC functions.
This new charter focuses on identifying the
governing principles, the objectives and the mandates
for each element of the CARAC organization. One
of the governing principles is to look at the potential
impact of the Canadian economy and the cost to
businesses. An economic impact study has always
been part of the regulatory process. However, the
manner in which it is worded here is the closest we
have come to having one of TCCA's mandates to
promote the Canadian industry.
You can find the full charter on the CARAC activity
search website at wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/
NPA-APM/actl.aspx?lang=eng&atype=2.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2017
