Canadian air travellers could face biometric screening using facial recognition and fingerprints at airport security checkpoints under plans being developed by the federal agency responsible for passenger screening.Blacklock's Reporter says the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) intends to deploy biometric technology at pre-board screening by 2031, according to its Summary Of The 2026 To 2031 Corporate Plan tabled in Parliament.“Over the planning period the Authority will implement biometric deployments at pre-board screening to improve efficiency,” the report said.CATSA did not say whether passengers would be required to submit to facial recognition or fingerprint scanning.Biometric scanners are already used at Canadian airports to control access to restricted areas, including cargo facilities.The agency said it intends to increasingly rely on artificial intelligence, automation and biometric technology as part of its security operations.“The Agency will augment security effectiveness and screening efficiency and champion innovative solutions through a problem-solving mindset,” the report said. “It will do so by transitioning from basic automation to artificial intelligence-enabled operations, modernized screening and biometrics.”CATSA said it would “ensure the ethical use” of the technology but provided no details on what safeguards would apply or how passengers' biometric information would be handled.“The organization will advance the service strategy to ensure the efficient movement of people, enhance accessibility and lessen touch points at security checkpoints through automation, and provide greater passenger autonomy through biometrics,” the report said.The plan follows calls from Canadian airport operators to introduce digital identification and biometric technology for domestic air travel.Current federal regulations require passengers over age 18 to present a driver's licence or another form of government-issued photo identification when required for domestic flights.Toronto Pearson International Airport called for regulatory changes in a 2025 submission to the Commons finance committee.“To modernize and support enhanced passenger experience we ask that the government endorse system-wide border and screening modernization including immediate regulatory changes,” Pearson wrote..Airport management recommended changes to the Secure Air Travel Regulations to “enable digital ID to be recognized” and called for “a comprehensive set of regulations to enable digital ID and biometrics.”The Canadian Airports Council has also urged Ottawa to expand the use of biometric technology in air travel.“It will enable more efficient use of space, reduce pressure on infrastructure and enhance security,” the council told MPs.“At present Canada is behind our international peers in ensuring travel process security screening, Customs and border procedures and boarding are modern, efficient, simple and biometrically based.”Federal officials have repeatedly denied plans to introduce a national digital identification system.However, a Department of Employment briefing note dated Jan. 14 said air traffic controllers were required to use digital identification as part of an experimental federal pilot project last year.“They are only functional for pilot participants,” said the briefing note, GC Issue And Verify, GC Wallet, Beta And GC Verify: Beta Pilot Testing Activities.“Testing in stages, first in controlled environments, then in real world pilots, is standard practice.”
