Northern Canadian communities heavily impacted by pilot shortage

Airlines that operate in Canada’s North say disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, and a nationwide pilot shortage, are creating major issues for the service that many communities rely on to transport both people and essential goods.

Michael Rodyniuk, President of Canadian North, says many pilots either retired or left the airline industry during COVID.

New regulations aiming to reduce fatigue-related risks are restricting the amount of time crew members are able to work. Rodyniuk says they are trying to train as many pilots to meet the demands of the North.

“For our company, specifically, what it means to us, we are probably doing four times the normal training that we would’ve done otherwise. It is incrementally costing us more money to have training ongoing perpetually,” said Rodyniuk.

Transport Canada data shows that on average, between 2012 and 2019, there were around 1,116 licenses issued across the country annually. Last year, there were only 238 licenses issued, showing a rapid decline.

Glenn Priestley from the Northern Air Transport Association says there have been many challenges over the last few years that has put the airline industry in its current state.

“It was always a problem before COVID, but COVID certainly brought it all to life as far as the government layoffs, and mandates,” said Priestley.

Plane travelling in Manitoba. (Photo Credit: CityNews)

Priestley says it can be difficult to recruit and retain pilots, specifically in the north, due to the lack of services compared to larger cities. He says financial incentives, benefits, and other supports are needed to keep pilots flying in the northern and remote communities.

“Employer-centric focus is what we need, so the employer can higher from the local area and bring that person up and on-the-job training would be a helpful way of going forward.”

There are 182 communities in Canada that are considered remote, with a vast majority of these communities being isolated and only accessible by air for most of the year. Manitoba has 21 remote communities. The former Chief of Manitoba’s Shamattawa First Nation Eric Redhead says airlines are a vital artery for northern communities.

“We rely heavily on the airline industry in the north, specifically for getting people out for medical appointments, bringing in groceries, essential goods, medication and so when you have delays or are not able to provide that service, it really impacts the daily lives of northerners,” said Eric Redhead, Manitoba NDP MLA.

Food insecurity remains a massive issue in the North. According to Food Secure Canada, nearly 70 per cent of Nunavut lives in food insecurity.

In Northern Manitoba, more than 60 per cent of on-reserve Indigenous households are food insecure. Wade Thorhaug says food costs in the north are generally two-to-three times higher than in the rest of Canada and with flights being cancelled due to pilot shortages, he says those costs could continue to rise.

“Unless we start to look at ways that we could reverse this trend, say by supporting local food systems more and hopefully having less of a dependence on these strain logistical chains, then maybe we could see the tide turn.”