Ottawa, 19 March 2025—The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) released the report of a special examination conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG). CATSA ensures civil aviation security by screening passengers, workers, and their belongings at Canadian airports. The OAG’s audit focused on CATSA’s corporate management practices and its management of operations. The report includes recommendations to address weaknesses in several areas but concludes that there were no significant deficiencies.
The audit recommends that CATSA should develop a comprehensive risk‑based strategy that would more precisely align its level of oversight to the risk levels at each airport. The audit also recommends improvements in the testing of new screening equipment as there were no guidelines around roles and responsibilities, procedures, and documentation and approval requirements for the various stages of the testing. In addition, the audit identifies opportunities to improve some of CATSA’s other corporate systems and practices, including board appointments, and certain operational areas, such as operational planning and engagement with interested parties.
Under the Financial Administration Act, federal Crown corporations are subject to a special examination by the Auditor General of Canada at least once every 10 years. These audits examine the systems and practices that are key to providing the Crown corporation with reasonable assurance that its assets are safeguarded and controlled, its resources are managed economically and efficiently, and its operations are carried out effectively. Special examination reports are therefore a source of important information that parliamentarians can use to hold Crown corporations
to account.