The
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is a Canadian Crown corporation responsible for the security screening at the 89 designated airports in Canada. CATSA reports to the Government of Canada through the
Minister of TransportThe Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada...
, who is
responsibleResponsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
to the
Parliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch represented by her Governor General the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
.
CATSA was officially formed April 1, 2002, following the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacksThe September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners...
in the United States. After September 11, 2001, the
Government of CanadaThe government of Canada is established as a constitutional monarchy, with the powers and structure of the federal government established by the Constitution of Canada, which includes the written part, the decisions of courts, and unwritten conventions developed over time.-Usage:In Canadian...
took responsibility for airport screening which, until then, was the responsibility of the airlines.
CATSA shares responsibility for civil aviation security with several federal government departments and agencies, air carriers and airport operators.
The
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is a Canadian Crown corporation responsible for the security screening at the 89 designated airports in Canada. CATSA reports to the Government of Canada through the
Minister of TransportThe Minister of Transport is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's transportation regulatory and development department, Transport Canada...
, who is
responsibleResponsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
to the
Parliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch represented by her Governor General the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
.
CATSA was officially formed April 1, 2002, following the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacksThe September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners...
in the United States. After September 11, 2001, the
Government of CanadaThe government of Canada is established as a constitutional monarchy, with the powers and structure of the federal government established by the Constitution of Canada, which includes the written part, the decisions of courts, and unwritten conventions developed over time.-Usage:In Canadian...
took responsibility for airport screening which, until then, was the responsibility of the airlines.
CATSA shares responsibility for civil aviation security with several federal government departments and agencies, air carriers and airport operators. Transport Canada is Canada’s designated national civil aviation security regulator, under the standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
CATSA contracts screening services to private
securitySecurity is the degree of protection against danger, loss, and criminals.Security has to be compared and contrasted with other related concepts: Safety, continuity, reliability...
companies.
Mission
To protect the public by securing critical elements of the air transportation system as assigned by the Government.
Vision
To be a world leader in air transportation security through commitment to its mission and through operational and corporate excellence.
Mandate
CATSA conducts screening services in the following four areas:
• Pre-board Screening (PBS), the screening of passengers, their carry-on baggage and their personal belongings;
• Hold Baggage Screening (HBS), the screening of checked baggage;
• Non-Passenger Screening (NPS), the screening of non-passengers (e.g. airport employees, flight crews); and
• Restricted Area Identity Cards (RAIC), the administration of access control to airport restricted areas through biometric identifiers.
See also
- Canadian Air Carrier Protection Program
- Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration is a U.S. government law enforcement agency that was created as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. The TSA was originally organized in the...