NAV CANADA releases proposal to decrease service charges

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 21, 2023 /CNW/ - NAV CANADA today released for consultation a proposal to revise customer service charges, effective January 1, 2024.  The proposal calls for decreased service charges averaging 5.57% across its service categories.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on global air traffic and on the aviation industry. Due to NAV CANADA's safety and essential service mandate, the majority of its costs are fixed and as a result, NAV CANADA was not able to fully offset the significantly lower revenues during the pandemic. An average increase in service charges of 29.5% was implemented effective September 1, 2020 to allow NAV CANADA to comply with its debt covenants and obtain additional debt financing to allow it to sustain its operations throughout the pandemic. The significantly lower air traffic volume during the pandemic resulted in the accumulation of a material deficit balance in its Rate Stabilization Account ("RSA") as NAV CANADA's costs exceeded its revenue.

In recent months however, NAV CANADA's air traffic forecast reflects the fact that demand for air travel has remained strong despite mounting economic concerns and growth is increasingly attributable to normal seasonal variation plus incremental growth.

There are two elements in the proposal to revise rates: (i) a base rate adjustment to recover NAV CANADA's anticipated fiscal 2024 costs, by service; and (ii) a temporary rate adjustment to recover a portion of the remaining cumulative RSA shortfall estimated to be approximately $346 million at August 31, 2023.  The overall average net decrease in service charges of 5.57% includes an average base rate decrease of 9.33% and an average temporary rate increase of 3.76%.

"The Rates Proposal takes a balanced approach between NAV CANADA rebuilding its financial resilience, investing in safety and service delivery while supporting the industry by recovering the RSA shortfall over an extended timeframe" said Raymond Bohn, President and CEO, NAV CANADA "As part of our rate setting process, we welcome the input of our valued customers and stakeholders."

The proposal is now subject to the mandatory 60-day consultation period required by legislation. Input received during the consultation period will be considered by NAV CANADA's management and Board of Directors, prior to a final decision being made on the proposal. 

Details of NAV CANADA's proposed revised service charges are available here:

View: - Notice of Revised Service Charges [PDF]
View: - Details and Principles Regarding Proposed Revised Service Charges [PDF]

Caution Concerning Forward-looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning applicable to Canadian securities legislation. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "proposes", "plans", "anticipated", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". NAV CANADA is subject to significant risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements contained in this release. NAV CANADA cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements and NAV CANADA assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward looking statements contained in this release to reflect actual events or new circumstances, except as required by applicable legislation.  

About NAV CANADA

NAV CANADA is a private, not-for-profit company, established in 1996, providing air traffic control, airport advisory services, weather briefings and aeronautical information services for more than 18 million square kilometres of Canadian domestic and international airspace. The Company is internationally recognized for its safety record, and technology innovation.

SOURCE NAV CANADA

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