Unit and Branch Chair briefings on the details of the new Critical Staffing Initiative are now complete across the country.
For context, this initiative was developed as a result of discussions between CATCA and Nav Canada on ways to address the staffing of anti-social shifts in a number of units during the challenging summer period. The scrutiny and negative attention from media, government, and Nav Canada customers over service delivery challenges in recent summers, combined with the additional pressures posed by FIFA and continued increases in projected traffic levels for the coming summer, necessitates action.
Given our experiences over the last few years, this approach to improving schedule predictability and service delivery challenges is a welcome relief from the alternatives and we believe it has a very good chance of making a real difference for controllers and service. As a profession, union, and company, we should be highly motivated to exceed expectations and defy predictions for the coming summer.
Highlights of the Critical Staffing Incentive Program (CSI):
Definitions:
The Critical Staffing Period (CSP) refers to the following periods:
- May 15 to September 7, 2026
- May 17 to September 6, 2027
- Both the Company and the Union may withdraw after the 2026 period (no later than December 31, 2026)
Critical Staffing Incentive (CSI) Program
- An hourly points-based incentive system targeting critical shifts during the 2026 and 2027 CSP.
- Hours during the CSP will have numeric point values assigned to them that will correspond to a percentage of the applicable Air Traffic Control Premium (ATCP).
- A CSI will be paid on all eligible hours worked, whether straight time or overtime, according to the credits allotted to the respective shifts/hours.
- A total of 300 credits shall be allocated per week during the CSP.
- Proration: For units/specialties that operate part-time from a facility that operates 24/7, the number of credits will be prorated based on the hours of service. (For example, a specialty that provides service 16 hours/day within an ACC that provides services 24/7 will receive 200 credits).
- For the of 24/7 operation non-major towers, the hourly incentive is increased by 25% at the Saint-John’s, Gander, Halifax, Moncton, Quebec, Ottawa, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Edmonton Towers.
- Payments issued in multiple instalments (projected to be end of June and after the end).
Eligibility
- Applies to employees in a control position required to provide control services in ACCs and towers. This includes, but is not limited to, controllers who are On-the-Job Instructors (OJI) or Supervisors/UOS duties.
- Applies to controllers in the National Traffic Management Unit (NTMU) and Data System Coordinators (DSC). For DSC, the CSI shall only apply to “coverage” or “duty” shifts.
- The employee must meet the following criteria:
- The controller must be qualified for the unit/specialty.
- The controller cannot be in receipt of Short- or Long-Term Disability benefits, including Medical Unfit Status (MOS).
End of Career Leave (EOC)
- All permanent employees in control positions who accumulate time off in lieu of overtime (TOIL) during the 2026 and 2027 CSP may deposit any portion of those hours into an EOC Bank, regardless of their years of continuous service (the 15-year requirement is temporarily waived).
TOIL
- From July 1st until the end of each CSP. the Company will not be required to grant TOIL. This is NOT a blackout. The expectation is that in units where it can be approved, it should be approved.
Familiarization Flights (FAMs)
- The FAM Flight Program will be suspended for all ACC controllers, except for the non-control positions, and controllers at the Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal towers until December 31, 2027.
- A joint working group will redesign the program for future years.
Operational Term Rehire Provisions
- The Company may hire term operational employees for up to 2 years.
- Vacation entitlement set at 120 hours annually, with continuous service start date reset (No requirement for 90 days break).
- Vacation during the first 3 months is not required to be granted if requested within the CSP.
Temporary Return of Non-Ops Support to Operations (Two Distinct Programs)
1. Temporary Return to Operations (Temporary Deployment):
- Employees in non-control, NTMU, and DSC positions may:
- Volunteer to temporarily return to operations for the CSP.
- Participate only with a valid medical certificate and expectation of requalification.
- Be released, where reasonably possible, before the CSP to support requalification.
- Temporary backfill of the positions vacated by this article may be with rehired employee.
2. Part-Time Operational Assignments (Maintain Currency):
- For the duration of the CSP, employees in non-control, NTMU, and DSC positions who can be requalified may:
- Work part-time in operations.
- Upon requalification, be required to work a minimum of four (4) regular operational shifts per 56-day averaging period to maintain currency.
- Work additional overtime shifts on a voluntary basis (and will be the last called for OT in their unit).
Because of the significance of the initiative, the Executive Board will be putting the proposal to a roll call vote of branch delegates.
A virtual meeting with branch delegates for the vote, according to membership entitlements, will take place on Tuesday, March 17, at 12:00pm EDT. Results will be communicated once available.
Voting shall be by representation. Each Branch/Facility shall have a number of votes that is equal to one (1) vote for every eight (8) Active Members or portion thereof, based upon the number of Active Members shown on the membership roll for the previous January. Delegates will be able to split the weight of their vote between: « Yes », « No », or « Abstain » (For example: a branch with 20 votes could vote 15 – Yes, 4 – No, 1 – Abstain).
| BRANCH | DELEGATE VOTES |
| Atlantic Region | |
| Fredericton Tower | 2 |
| Gander ACC | 23 |
| Gander Tower | 2 |
| Halifax Tower | 3 |
| Moncton ACC | 17 |
| Moncton Tower | 2 |
| St. John’s Tower | 2 |
| Central Region | |
| Bytown Branch | 4 |
| Hamilton Tower | 2 |
| London Tower | 2 |
| Oshawa Tower | 2 |
| Sault Ste Marie Tower | 2 |
| Technology Branch | 4 |
| Toronto ACC | 36 |
| Toronto City Centre Tower | 2 |
| Toronto Tower | 7 |
| Waterloo Tower | 2 |
| Windsor Tower | 2 |
| Pacific Region | |
| Abbotsford Tower | 3 |
| Boundary Bay Tower | 2 |
| Kelowna Tower | 2 |
| Langley Tower | 2 |
| Pitt Meadows Tower | 2 |
| Prince George Tower | 2 |
| Vancouver ACC | 19 |
| Vancouver Harbour Tower | 1 |
| Vancouver Tower | 5 |
| Victoria Tower | 3 |
| Whitehorse Tower | 1 |
| Prairie Region | |
| Regina Tower | 2 |
| Saskatoon Tower | 2 |
| St. Andrews Tower | 2 |
| Thunder Bay Tower | 2 |
| Winnipeg ACC | 21 |
| Winnipeg Tower | 3 |
| Rockies Region | |
| Calgary Tower | 5 |
| Edmonton ACC | 30 |
| Edmonton Tower | 3 |
| Fort McMurray Tower | 2 |
| Red Deer Tower | 2 |
| Springbank Tower | 2 |
| Villeneuve Tower | 2 |
| Yellowknife Tower | 2 |
| St-Laurent Region | |
| Mirabel Tower | 2 |
| Montreal Dorval Tower | 5 |
| Montreal ACC | 24 |
| Ottawa Tower | 3 |
| Québec Tower | 3 |
| St. Honoré Tower | 2 |
| St. Hubert Tower | 3 |
| St. Jean Tower | 2 |
On behalf of the Executive Board,
Nick von Schoenberg
&
Scott Loder
Executive Vice President