• Smaller airlines ask Transport Canada for pilots' shifts to last up to 14 hours

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-28 08:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Transportation, Labour, Industry]

  At least 18 northern and regional air carriers, including Air Inuit, Air North, and Nolinor Aviation, have petitioned Transport Canada for regulatory exemptions to extend pilots' maximum daily flight duty period from 13 to 14 hours and weekly limits from 60 to 70 hours, while allowing up to 210 hours over a 28-day period. The carriers, represented by the Northern Air Transportation Association, argue that the stricter 2020 federal flight rules fail to accommodate northern weather unpredictability and infrastructure limitations, which lead to severe travel disruptions. The Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA Canada) strongly opposes the changes, warning that increased shift lengths will elevate pilot fatigue to dangerous levels and jeopardize flight safety. Federal Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon's office stated that Transport Canada officials are currently reviewing the draft regulatory files.

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• Canada Post CEO touts ‘early signs’ of recovery even as financial woes persist

  Source: Global News Politics
  Date: 2026-10-22 21:45:13.0
  Tags: [National, Economy, Finance, Labour, Transportation]

  Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger announced early signs of financial recovery at the Crown corporation's annual public meeting, citing a reduced pre-tax loss of $277 million in the second quarter of the year compared to $407 million the previous year. To address structural challenges, Canada Post is phasing out door-to-door delivery for four million addresses over five years in favor of community mailboxes—targeting 700,000 households by the end of 2027—and launching a direct-to-consumer online marketplace named Canada Shops. These operational overhauls follow the federal government's adoption of recommendations from an Industrial Inquiry Commission led by William Kaplan, which lifted a moratorium on new community mailboxes and rural post office closures.

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• Canada Post starting weekend parcel delivery in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa this fall

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-22 19:44:37.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Labour, Transportation, Finance]

  Canada Post has launched weekend parcel delivery in Ottawa and Montreal, with plans to expand to Toronto in late November 2026 and to Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary the following year, aiming to reach seven million households by the end of 2027. The Crown corporation reported a pre-tax loss of $482 million in the first half of 2026 and continues to rely on federal loans, though parcel revenue grew by 20.7 percent year-over-year in the second quarter. This operational restructuring follows a month-long national strike in December 2024 and the signing of a new collective agreement with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that remains in effect until 2030.

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• Ontario Developing New Training Requirements for Truck Drivers

  Source: Ontario - Ministry of Transportation
  Date: 2026-09-21 14:00:00.0
  Tags: [Ontario, Transportation, Public Safety, Labour]

  The Ontario Ministry of Transportation, led by Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, is developing a new standardized entry-level truck driver training curriculum exceeding 103 hours to strengthen commercial vehicle safety. The mandatory curriculum will cover subjects including fatigue management, northern driving, human trafficking awareness, and air brake training. Additionally, Ontario is implementing a mandatory six-month waiting period effective January 1, 2027, for Class G or higher licence holders attempting a Class A road test, alongside heightened enforcement measures on Highway 11/17 and stricter work eligibility documentation rules for commercial drivers.

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• Liberals looking to give minister explicit authority to end strikes: sources

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-19 00:23:09.0
  Tags: [National, Labour, Economy, Transportation, Governance]

  The Liberal government plans to introduce the Building Canada Strong Act, which will amend Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to explicitly grant the federal labour minister the authority to direct the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to end work stoppages and order binding arbitration. The proposed legislation also empowers the labour minister to appoint a special mediator to issue reports prior to invoking Section 107 as a last resort in high-potential disruptive labour disputes affecting critical export industries like ports, railways, and aviation. The changes follow previous government interventions in disputes involving companies and unions such as Teamsters, Air Canada, and Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railways. While the government states the amendments aim to provide economic stability and private sector confidence without stripping the right to strike, unions have criticized the heavy-handed approach for undermining collective bargaining and violating worker rights.

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• N.W.T. expands student aid eligibility to private pilot licence training

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-09-01 11:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Education, Transportation, Labour, Economy]

  The Northwest Territories Department of Education, Culture and Employment updated its student financial assistance regulations as of August to cover up to two semesters of coursework for a private pilot licence, provided it serves as a documented pathway toward a commercial pilot licence. Previously, aspiring northern aviators faced out-of-pocket costs averaging $20,000 to $26,000 for initial flight hours before qualifying for traditional student aid. The policy shift aims to reduce financial barriers for northern youth, mitigate nationwide pilot shortages, and support local aviation training initiatives conducted by organizations such as Super T Aviation, Summit Air, and École St Patrick High School.

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