Canadian Transport Commission : The National Transportation Act of 1967 (14-15-16, Eliz., II, c. 69, sections 2 to 21) established the Canadian Transportation Commission which replaced the Board of Transport Commissioners (1938-1967), the Air Transport Board and the Canadian Maritime Commission and assumed additional duties in the area of motor transport and commodity pipelines. Consequently, the new Commission was required to perform the duties vested in it by the Railway Act, the Aeronautics Act, the Transport Act for the purpose of coordinating and harmonizing the operations of all types of carriers which were subject to federal legislation. It is the only federal agency responsible for regulating transportation in Canada.
The Commission consists of no more than seventeen members appointed by the Governor in Council and is divided into committees and branches. Seven committees were established, five of which regulate the various modes of transportation. They are the Railway Transport, Air Transport, Water Transport, Motor Vehicle Transport and Commodity Pipeline Transport Committees. The other two deal with reviews and appeals, and the latter deals with international transportation policy matters. The branches specialize in operational and tariff matters and research.
The Railway Transport Committee has jurisdiction on all rail transportation subject to the Railway Act and particularly on the construction, location and abandonment of railway lines in addition to tariffs and security.
The Air Transport Committee is responsible for enforcing the Aeronautics Act which applies to all persons operating a commercial airline service in Canada. It regulates commercial airline carriers, the issuance of licences, the classification of air carriers, tariffs and traffic rates.
The Water Transport Committee has jurisdiction on water transportation as prescribed by the National Transportation Act which applies to the conveyance of goods and passengers by boat from a port or location in Canada to another located within selected geographical areas.
The Motor Vehicle Transport Committee enforces the motor vehicle provisions of the National Transportation Act. It has other administrative responsibilities under the Atlantic Region Freight Assistance Act and the Lord's Day Act (repealed in 1984).
Under Part II of the National Transportation Act, the Commodity Pipeline Transport Committee has jurisdiction to build and operate commodity pipelines which link or extend beyond provincial borders.
The International Transportation Policy Committee was established in 1969 and deals with all economic and legal issues pertaining to transportation at the intergovernmental, national and international levels. It does not have any regulatory authority.
A Review Committee was formed in 1970 and can review, quash, change or amend any order or decision by the Commission.
A Research Division conducts studies on all modes of transportation.
In 1972, the Commission established the Telecommunications Committee to fulfill its mandate and its responsibilities pertaining to the telegraph, the telephone and cable communications. This Committee was dissolved in March 1977 when the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Act transferred responsibility for telecommunications to the Commission bearing the same name.
The Traffic and Tariffs Branch receives all tariffs paid by rail, water and motor vehicle carriers subject to Parliamentary legislative authority. The Branch enforces the commodity transportation subsidy program in the Atlantic Region and is responsible for traffic research and analyses.
In 1988, the National Transportation Agency of Canada took over from the Commission, and in 1997, the Canadian Transportation Agency superseded the NTAC.
