A Member of Parliament from Windsor-Essex has brought forth legislation to keep local air traffic controllers on the job.
Windsor West MP Brian Masse introduced in the House of Commons Tuesday Bill C-278, an amendment to the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act. The bill would authorize the federal Transport Minister to remove an airport from any aeronautical study that it conducts while evaluating potential changes to air traffic services.
The NAV Canada study, which was announced last November, involves Windsor International Airport and five others across Canada. NAV Canada said the project would determine if these airports would be better served with airport advisory services instead of on-site air traffic controllers.
Marc Garneau, the Transport Minister at the time, had stated that he had no legal authority to exclude any airport from the study.
"To ensure Windsor’s International Airport (YQG) remains a growing economic anchor to many business sectors in the city while guaranteeing the highest level of aviation safety for the public, this legislation will provide the necessary authority for the Transport Minister to act," said Masse in a statement. "When NAV Canada announced this study the Transport Minister stated he could not act to protect airports because of the law. With this legal change, he will be able to save not only the airport in Windsor but airports across the country."
NAV Canada has repeatedly insisted that no decision has been made on the future of YQG and the process would be safety-focused and that all potential stakeholders would be consulted before any decision is made.
Masse had opposed the idea from the beginning. He warned of potential safety issues that could arise by the crowded airspace in the region, with YQG and five airports in southeastern Michigan sharing it.
The MP had also warned that removing YQG's tower would set back at least two decades of economic development in the region.
Bill C-278 was also given first reading Tuesday afternoon.