Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

What Canadian Air Transport Security Authority does

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is a federal Crown corporation established under the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority Act, which came into force on April 1, 2002. It is listed in Part I of Schedule III of the Financial Administration Act as an agent of Her Majesty in right of Canada and is headquartered at 99 Bank Street, Ottawa. CATSA's mandate is to conduct efficient and effective security screening of air travellers, their belongings, and non-passenger workers at 89 designated Canadian airports. It is funded almost entirely through annual parliamentary appropriations from the Government of Canada, with FY2024-25 total parliamentary credits of approximately $1.079 billion CAD and total expenses of approximately $1.059 billion CAD. Secondary revenue consists of cost-recovery fees for screening services at non-designated airports that opt into CATSA screening and an MOU with Montréal Metropolitan Airport.

CATSA's core service lines are pre-board passenger screening, checked baggage screening, non-passenger screening, and the Restricted Area Identification Card (RAIC) program. The RAIC combines iris and fingerprint biometrics to positively identify non-passenger airport workers requiring access to secure restricted areas. CATSA is currently executing a multi-year modernization of screening lanes with next-generation CT X-ray cabin baggage scanning equipment, with the first deployment at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport on November 26, 2025, followed by Edmonton International Airport on December 16, 2025. The technology enables 3D imaging of carry-on baggage and allows passengers to keep liquids, aerosols, gels, medical devices, and large electronics in their bags during screening.

The business model is effectively that of a federally mandated service provider: there is no commercial pricing, no equity capitalization, and no stock exchange listing. CATSA reports to Parliament through the Minister of Transport and is overseen by a Board of Directors. Its corporate plan covers 2025-2026 through 2029-2030, and a Corporate Plan Summary was released in April 2025. As of April 29, 2026, the federal government has confirmed it is in early-stage discussions on airport privatization, working with NAV Canada and CATSA to explore alternative ownership models, placing CATSA's structural and regulatory status under active review.

Name

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

Legal name

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (Administration canadienne de la sûreté du transport aérien)

Website

https://catsa-acsta.gc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is a federal Crown corporation that provides mandated pre-board passenger, baggage, and non-passenger security screening at 89 designated Canadian airports, funded primarily through parliamentary appropriations and deploying CT X-ray, biometric RAIC, and trace detection technologies nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Parliamentary appropriations: Primary funding derived from federal parliamentary appropriations (government funding). Total expenses approximately $1.06 billion reported in annual financial statements, with employee-related expenses of 80,203 thousand CAD. Funding flows through parliamentary vote and is the dominant revenue source for mandated screening services.
2. Fees for additional screening at non-designated airports: CATSA charges fees for screening services provided at non-designated airports that opt into CATSA screening, on a cost-recovery basis, where airport authorities request service.
3. MOU-based cost recovery (Montreal Metropolitan Airport): Recovery arrangement under a memorandum of understanding with Montreal Metropolitan Airport covering screening-related costs at that location.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) is a federal Crown corporation that delivers mandated pre-board passenger and baggage security screening at all 89 designated Canadian airports. Its operational scope spans passenger screening, hold (checked) baggage screening, non-passenger screening, and the issuance of biometric Restricted Area Identification Cards (RAIC) for non-passenger workers requiring access to restricted areas. Services are delivered using advanced detection technologies including CT X-ray scanners, trace explosive detection, and biometric credentialing, with multi-year modernization of screening lanes underway.

Product overview

CATSA is a federal Crown corporation responsible for security screening at 89 designated Canadian airports. The organization provides pre-board passenger and baggage screening services, and is currently rolling out advanced CT X-ray screening technology across Canadian airports in partnership with NAV Canada and individual airport authorities. CT X-ray technology is a flagship product capability, allowing passengers to keep liquids, aerosols, gels, medical devices, and large electronics in their carry-on baggage during screening, with deployments beginning at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport and Edmonton International Airport as anchor sites.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Board Passenger and Baggage Screening Services Core mandated screening service delivered at 89 designated Canadian airports, covering passenger pre-board screening, hold baggage screening, and non-passenger screening. Operates 24/7 at airport checkpoints under federal authority.
• Restricted Area Identification Card (RAIC) Program Biometric identity credential combining iris and fingerprint biometrics, issued to non-passenger workers (flight crew, ground crew, catering, cleaning, maintenance, service providers) requiring access to airport restricted areas. Includes background checks and biometric identity verification.
• Screening Services at Non-Designated Airports CATSA screening services delivered to non-designated Canadian airports on a cost-recovery basis, governed by memoranda of understanding with requesting airport authorities. Covers screening-related operational and infrastructure costs at the requesting airport.

Quantifiable outcome

• Total expenses of approximately $1.06 billion reflecting national-scale screening operations
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NAV CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAV Canada is the Canadian air navigation service provider and has been referenced alongside CATSA in federal-level discussions about the privatization of Canadian Crown aviation entities. While not a commercial partner, NAV Canada is a structural peer organization co-mentioned in government policy and reform discussions affecting CATSA.
• Transport CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransport Canada is the federal department responsible for transportation policy and oversight in Canada. CATSA operates under the federal transport policy framework and reports through Transport Canada on aviation security matters, making it the principal federal policy counterpart.
• Montreal Metropolitan AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCATSA maintains a memorandum of understanding with Montreal Metropolitan Airport providing for cost recovery of screening-related costs at that location. The MOU defines the financial and operational relationship between CATSA and the airport authority.
• Edmonton International AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdmonton International Airport is a designated Canadian airport at which CATSA deploys screening operations and is part of CATSA's multi-year CT X-ray modernization rollout for next-generation cabin baggage screening equipment.
• Winnipeg Richardson International AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinnipeg Richardson International Airport is a designated Canadian airport at which CATSA deploys screening operations and is included in CATSA's multi-year CT X-ray modernization rollout for next-generation cabin baggage screening equipment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Clear Secure: U.S.-listed company operating a biometric identity-verification platform that speeds airport checkpoint throughput. Clear is comparable to CATSA's biometric RAIC capability and represents the private-market model for biometric aviation identity verification.

Direct peers

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA): The U.S. federal agency responsible for passenger and baggage screening at U.S. airports. TSA is the most direct functional peer to CATSA — both are government-mandated national screening authorities operating at all designated airports under federal authority.
• ICTS Europe: A private aviation security company providing passenger and baggage screening, document verification, and checkpoint operations across European airports. ICTS is a direct comparable in outsourced aviation screening services and a relevant benchmark for screening cost models.

Broad incumbents

• NAV Canada: Canada's air navigation service provider and a federal Crown corporation. NAV Canada is a structural peer co-mentioned with CATSA in federal privatization discussions, and both are Crown entities providing critical aviation infrastructure services in Canada.
• Allied Universal: A large global security services provider (formed via the G4S acquisition) offering aviation screening, contract security, and risk consulting. Allied Universal is a broad incumbent comparable to CATSA's outsourced screening workforce dimension.
• Securitas AB: A global security services company with an aviation security vertical offering passenger and baggage screening at airports worldwide. Securitas is a broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities to CATSA's contracted screening operations.
• GardaWorld: A Canadian-headquartered private security services company offering aviation screening and risk-management services globally. GardaWorld competes in the broader airport security services market and could be a logical counterpart in any privatization or contracting-out of CATSA's screening mandate.

Others

• Smiths Detection: A global supplier of X-ray, CT, and trace explosive detection equipment to airports and security agencies. Smiths Detection is an enabling supplier rather than a competitor, and a relevant reference point for the cost and capability of the CT X-ray equipment CATSA is deploying nationally.

Regional players

• UK Department for Transport — Aviation Security: The U.K. government unit responsible for aviation security policy and oversight of screening at U.K. airports. A foreign-government peer with comparable passenger and baggage screening responsibilities under a national mandate.
• Australian Office of Transport Security: Australia's federal aviation and transport security regulator, part of the Department of Home Affairs. The Office of Transport Security is a foreign-government peer operating a comparable national aviation security regime and is a useful comparator for Crown/government aviation security models outside North America.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/catsa_gc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/packsmartjypense
• Facebookfacebook.com/CATSAGC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-air-transport-security-authority
• Pinterestpinterest.com/CATSAGC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Canadian Air Transport Security Authority