Federal officials combing through skills training programs have concluded major changes are needed if those are to be used to address a shortage of airline pilots.
Instead, officials are suggesting a strategy being used by other countries as a way for Canada to address a growing need for pilots: governments and airlines partner to pay for pilot training.
The funds — either dedicated financing or government-industry training programs — in turn could ensure “that a sufficient supply of trained pilots can sustain the current and projected demand,” reads the briefing note The Canadian Press obtained through the Access to Information Act.
The cost of training can be fully or partially covered, and pilots typically owe airlines a certain number of years of service in return.
John McKenna, president and CEO of the Air Transport Association of Canada, said his group has asked the government to guarantee private loans from banks to qualified students or forgive interest payments.
The association pegs the annual cost to government at $5 million, based on 10 per cent of students failing to finish training, but is hoping to keep those figures far lower through strict candidate screening.
“For $5 million, the government could help train 600 people a year. We add 600 people a year, every year, and we’re going to largely solve the shortage in Canada,” McKenna said.
Industry estimates say Canada will need 7,300 new commercial pilots by 2025 as demand for air travel increases, but will fall 3,000 short of that mark.
That number doesn’t take into account new rules around rest periods for pilots, which kick in one year from now.
Worldwide, the global demand for new pilots is expected to hit 255,000 by 2027, with most yet to start the long process of training and logging flying hours.
But a July briefing note to a senior official at Employment and Social Development Canada says existing government programs “are not well suited” to help train more pilots.
Nor do the programs address the high cost to earn a commercial license in Canada, which can range from $80,000 and $95,000.
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In September, the government announced up to $4.9 million over three years for the First Nations Technical Institute to expand its commercial pilot training program and double the number of students.
Edmonton-based non-profit Elevate Aviation was given $400,000 to develop a plan to attract and retain more women to the sector.
A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Marc Garneau said officials are looking at other ways to redo training programs in the sector.
Jordan Press, The Canadian Press
