General

An aerodrome is defined by the Aeronautics Act as any area of land, water (including the frozen surface thereof) or other supporting surface used, designed, prepared, equipped or set apart for use either in whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft and includes any buildings, installations and equipment situated thereon or associated therewith.

This has a very broad application for Canada where there are no general restrictions preventing landings or takeoffs. There are defined exceptions, but, for the most part, all of Canada can be an aerodrome.

Rules for operating an aerodrome are provided in Part III of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) under Subpart 301. The objective is to define the minimum safety standards that must be offered as well as to make provision for inspection by the Minister. Aerodrome operators are encouraged, in the interest of aviation safety, efficiency, and convenience, to improve their aerodromes beyond the basic regulatory requirements using, as guidelines, the standards and recommended practices applicable for the certification of aerodromes as airports, heliports, or water airports. Aerodrome users are, however, reminded that the improvement of aerodrome physical characteristics, visual aids, lighting, and markings beyond the basic regulatory requirements for aerodromes stated in CAR 301 is a matter of individual aerodrome operators’ initiative. Such improvements do not require regulatory compliance, nor are those improvements inspected or certified in accordance with the standards and recommended practices applicable for the certification of aerodromes as airports, heliports, or water airports.

Subsection 301 also regulates the “Registration” process, which is used to publish and maintain information on an aerodrome in the CFS or the CWAS. The regulation specifies that an aerodrome operator can expect to:

Have their aerodrome registered in the appropriate publication when they provide the necessary information with respect to location, markings, lighting, use, and operation of the aerodrome;
Have their aerodrome denied registration in the appropriate publication if they do not meet the aerodrome regulatory requirements for markers and markings, warning notices, wind direction indicator, and lighting;
Assume responsibility of immediately notifying the Minister of any changes in the aerodrome’s published information regarding its location, markings, lighting, use, or operation; and
Have their aerodrome classed as a registered aerodrome when it is published in the CFS or CWAS.

No aerodrome operator is obliged by these regulations to have information published in the CFS or CWAS. The Minister may choose not to publish information for a site that is considered to be hazardous to aviation safety.

In addition to the initial inspection during the application for registration, other inspections are done on an as-required basis, once the aerodromes are registered, to verify their compliance with CARs and the accuracy of their information as it is published in the CFS or the CWAS. Such information, however, is only published for the convenience of the pilot and should be confirmed through contact with the aerodrome operator before the pilot uses a site.