Aviation Sector Applauds Government of Canada Decision to Lift VISA Requirements for Mexican Travellers

June 28, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2016

 

OTTAWA – The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) and the Canadian Airports Council (CAC) welcome today’s announcement by the Government of Canada to lift visa requirements for citizens of Mexico effective December 1, 2016.  The decision to use the upcoming electronic travel authorization (eTA) for Mexican travelers will further expand economic ties between Canada and Mexico and supports the Government of Canada’s priority to expand economic engagement in the Americas.

“This is great news.  Lifting visa requirements for Mexicans in favour of the electronic travel authorization will mean more opportunity to expand business, trade and travel with an important partner,” said Marc-André O’Rourke, Executive Director of the NACC.  “Canada’s major airlines recognize the importance of balancing the integrity of our immigration laws on one hand and the benefits associated with making it easier to visit and do business in Canada on the other hand. It is encouraging to see that Canada is taking steps to streamline its visa processes and find that balance”, added O’Rourke.

“Canada and Mexico have a longstanding relationship, and this new development today will strengthen that partnership and further boost tourism and business opportunities in Canada,” said CAC President Daniel-Robert Gooch.  “Enabling low risk travelers from Mexico to use the electronic travel authorization is a good step in what we hope will be a broader, more modern approach to facilitating low-risk travelers from additional countries around the world.”

Given the opportunities surrounding the upcoming Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), the NACC and the CAC encourage Canada to continue to take steps to continue to ease visa requirements where appropriate to grow investment, trade, and tourism.
About the National Airlines Council of Canada 

The National Airlines Council of Canada (NACC) is the trade association representing Canada’s largest national and international passenger air carriers:  Air Canada, Air Transat, Jazz Aviation LP and WestJet.  We promote safe, sustainable and competitive air travel through the development of policies, regulations and legislation that foster a world-class transportation system.  Collectively, our member airlines carry over 50 million passengers annually, directly employ 46,000 people and create over 260,000 jobs.

About the Canadian Airports Council 

The Canadian Airports Council (CAC), a division of Airports Council International-North America, is the voice for Canada’s airports community.  Its 49 members represent more than 100 airports, including all of the privately operated National Airports System (NAS) airports and many municipal airports across Canada.

 

About ACI-NA

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.