← Canadian Aviation Regulations
Part VIII — Air Navigation Services
No person shall act as an air traffic controller or a flight service specialist
within eight hours after consuming an alcoholic beverage;
while under the influence of alcohol; or
while under the influence of any drug or other substance that impairs the person’s faculties to the extent that aviation safety is affected.
SOR/2002-352, s. 5; SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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No air traffic controller shall issue an air traffic control clearance or air traffic control instruction except in accordance with
the standards contained in Chapter 3 of Annex 11 to the Convention, in the case of airspace in respect of which Canada has accepted, by means of a regional air navigation agreement, the responsibility of providing air traffic services; and
Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, in the case of any other airspace.
SOR/2002-352, s. 6; SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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[Reserved, SOR/2025-98, s. 20]
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[Reserved, SOR/2025-98, s. 20]
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[Reserved, SOR/2025-98, s. 20]
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No person shall operate an ATS unit unless the person holds and complies with the provisions of an ATS operations certificate that authorizes the person to operate the ATS unit.
SOR/2022-246, s. 33(F); SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An application for an ATS operations certificate shall be submitted to the Minister along with a copy of the proposed ATS site manual for each operational location to be listed on the certificate.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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The Minister shall issue an ATS operations certificate to an applicant, authorizing the applicant to operate an ATS unit, if
the Minister has approved an ATS site manual for the operational location; and
the applicant demonstrates that
it has personnel who are qualified to provide an air traffic service at the operational location of the ATS unit, and
the ATS unit will be operated in a manner that provides for safe aircraft operations.
The Minister shall approve the ATS site manual if it
accurately describes the operational location of the ATS unit; and
contains the information required under section 801.10.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An ATS operations certificate shall contain
the legal name, trade name and address of the holder of the certificate;
the number of the certificate;
the date of issue of the certificate;
the effective date of certification;
the types of air traffic services that the holder of the certificate is authorized to provide; and
a list of the operational locations for which an ATS site manual has been approved by the Minister.
SOR/2002-352, s. 7; SOR/2007-290, s. 12; SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An ATS site manual shall set out the types of air traffic services that are provided by the holder of the ATS operations certificate at a specific operational location.
An ATS site manual shall contain
a table of contents;
any information relating to the administration of the ATS unit, including
a record of any amendments to the manual,
a list of the holders of copies of the manual,
a description of the procedure for amending the manual,
a description of the organizational structure of the ATS unit management,
a statement, signed by the holder of the ATS operations certificate, certifying that the manual is complete and accurate, and
a statement, signed by the Minister, indicating that the Minister has approved the manual;
any information relating to the operation of the ATS unit, including
a description of the airspace and its classification,
where applicable, a description of the manoeuvring areas and movement areas of all aerodromes served, and
a description of the system used to ensure that any operational information necessary for operational staff to perform their duties or functions is available on a daily basis;
if air traffic advisory services or flight information services are provided, a description of the procedures for providing those services;
a description of the procedures for providing emergency assistance services;
a copy of any agreements or memoranda of understanding relating to the operation of the ATS unit; and
in the case of an ATS unit that provides services to aerodrome traffic, all information pertaining to all aerodromes served in respect of
emergency response measures,
aerodrome safety measures,
access to the movement areas and vehicle control procedures,
apron management plans and apron safety plans, and
information services in respect of runway surface friction characteristics.
SOR/2002-352, s. 8; SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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[Reserved, SOR/2025-98, s. 20]
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[Reserved, SOR/2025-98, s. 20]
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The air traffic services provided to aircraft operating in Class A or Class B airspace shall include air traffic control services.
The air traffic services provided to aircraft operating in Class C airspace shall include
air traffic control services to IFR aircraft;
conflict resolution between IFR aircraft and VFR aircraft;
conflict resolution between VFR aircraft, on request;
traffic information; and
air traffic control separation between all aircraft during runway operations.
The air traffic services provided to aircraft operating in Class D airspace shall include
air traffic control services to IFR aircraft;
conflict resolution between IFR aircraft and VFR aircraft, to the extent that providing the service does not interfere with the ability to provide air traffic control services or emergency assistance services;
conflict resolution between VFR aircraft, on request, to the extent that providing the service does not interfere with the ability to provide air traffic control services or emergency assistance services;
traffic information; and
air traffic control separation between all aircraft during runway operations.
The air traffic services provided to aircraft operating in Class E airspace shall include
air traffic control services to IFR aircraft; and
traffic information, to the extent that providing the service does not interfere with the ability to provide air traffic control services or emergency assistance services.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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No holder of an ATS operations certificate shall provide air traffic services at an operational location unless the location is listed on the ATS operations certificate and, in the case of air traffic control services, the services are provided in accordance with
the standards contained in Chapter 3 of Annex 11 to the Convention, in the case of airspace in respect of which Canada has accepted, by means of a regional air navigation agreement, the responsibility of providing air traffic services; and
Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, in the case of any other airspace.
A holder of an ATS operations certificate may provide air traffic services only if they do all of the following in accordance with Standard 821 — Air Traffic Flow Management, published by the Department of Transport:
assess their capacity to meet the demand for air traffic services;
assess staffing levels and make every reasonable effort to maintain sufficient staff to provide air traffic services in a manner that provides for safe aircraft operations;
develop and implement a system that balances the demand for air traffic services with strategic and operational capacity and that includes
procedures for increasing staffing levels and for taking alternative actions if sufficient staff are not available,
procedures for making information relating to air traffic flow management publicly available, and
competency requirements for staff performing functions related to air traffic flow management; and
make information relating to air traffic flow management publicly available.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20; SOR/2025-226, s. 23
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If the holder of an ATS operations certificate is notified by the Minister of National Defence of the implementation of the ESCAT plan, the certificate holder shall ensure that air traffic services are provided to aircraft in accordance with the plan.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An ATS unit set out in column 1 of the table to this section shall provide air traffic advisory services, relay services of IFR traffic control messages and air traffic control services in the languages set out in columns 2 to 4, respectively.
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Air Traffic Services Unit | Language of Service ― Air Traffic Advisory Services | Language of Service ― Relay Services of IFR Air Traffic Control Messages | Language of Service ― Air Traffic Control Services |
| 1 | Gatineau (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 2 | Îles-de-la-Madeleine (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 3 | Kuujjuaq (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 4 | La Grande Rivière (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 5 | Mont-Joli (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 6 | Rouyn (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 7 | Sept-Îles (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 8 | Val-d’Or (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 9 | Montréal (area control centre) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 10 | Montréal (Mirabel International Airport) (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 11 | Montréal (Mirabel International Airport) (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 12 | Montréal (Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport) (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 13 | Ottawa (Macdonald-Cartier International Airport) (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 14 | Québec (FS unit) | English and French | English and French | Services not available |
| 15 | Québec (Jean Lesage International Airport) (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 16 | St-Honoré (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 17 | St-Hubert (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 18 | St-Jean (Quebec) (air traffic control tower) | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATC unit | English and French |
| 19 | Any temporary ATS unit located in Quebec | English and French | English or French, as used by originating ATS unit | English and French |
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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All ATS units and FS units shall provide aeronautical radiocommunication services in English.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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No holder of an ATS operations certificate shall permit a person to act as a flight service specialist at an ATS unit that the holder operates, and no person shall act as a flight service specialist, unless the person
has successfully completed
training that has been accepted by the Minister in the performance of the functions of a flight service specialist, and
a safety-related initial training course on human and organizational factors; and
has been certified by the holder of the certificate as being competent to perform those functions.
Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of a person who, under supervision, acts as a flight service specialist while undergoing
instruction, training or testing in respect of flight service specialist certification; or
FS unit familiarization in the course of the person’s employment.
The holder of an ATS operations certificate shall
maintain, for each person who acts as a flight service specialist, a training record showing the place where and the date on which the person successfully completed the training referred to in paragraph (1)(a); and
at the request of the Minister, provide the Minister with a copy of the training record of any person acting as a flight service specialist at an ATS unit that the holder of the certificate operates.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain wake turbulence separation between aircraft, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.40 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, if
one aircraft takes off from the same airport as another aircraft or from an adjacent airport; or
one of the aircraft is flying at an altitude of less than 1,000 feet below a preceding aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation between aircraft at a controlled aerodrome, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.41 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, if one of the aircraft is operating on the manoeuvring area, taking off or landing.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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Unless ATS surveillance separation under section 821.06 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards is applied, an air traffic controller shall, on departure, establish and maintain an initial IFR air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.42 of that standard, between
IFR aircraft;
CVFR aircraft; and
an IFR aircraft and a CVFR aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain, within Canadian minimum navigation performance specifications (CMNPS) airspace and the CMNPS transition area, air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.43 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between aircraft that can be operated in accordance with CMNPS.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain, within required navigation performance capability (RNPC) airspace, air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.44 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between aircraft that can be operated in accordance with RNPC.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.45 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between Class F airspace or restricted airspace and an IFR aircraft or CVFR aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.46 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between an aircraft used to conduct photographic survey flights and an IFR aircraft or CVFR aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.47 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between
altitude reservations; and
an altitude reservation and an IFR aircraft or CVFR aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.48 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between a formation flight conducted by military IFR aircraft and another IFR aircraft or CVFR aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.49 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between a United States Air Force (USAF) bomber cell formation and an IFR aircraft or CVFR aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.50 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between a turbojet aircraft conducting a jet approach or penetration turn and an IFR aircraft or CVFR aircraft and between turbojet aircraft conducting a jet approach or penetration turn.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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An air traffic controller shall establish and maintain air traffic control separation, in accordance with the requirements of section 821.51 of Standard 821 — Canadian Domestic Air Traffic Control Separation Standards, between an aircraft jettisoning fuel in flight and another aircraft.
SOR/2025-98, s. 20
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