This week COPA was at the Conseil des Aéroports du Québec (CAQ) symposium in Rimouski (QC) where there were many discussions about costs associated with regional air transport and its necessity.  Regional air traffic in Quebec costs about 50% more than anywhere else in Canada, why?  Air Canada has the vast majority of the market in the province. Is competition needed to bring it down? Or is it simply a question of offer and demand, without a clear outlook on the future and the benefit for regions?  This will be taken up during the Quebec Regional Air Transport Summit Meeting to take place in February 2018

During the symposium, COPA was invited to present its economic impact study of general aviation which was appreciated and very well received by those present, mostly airport managers, operators and key industry players. Provincial MP Guy Bourgeois, who will lead the Summit, pressed COPA into making sure the study was submitted for the February 2018 Transport Summit. COPA also presented its initiative for a “National Aviation Scholarship Guide” to be published early 2018 which also garnered interest amongst the participants. The Scholarship guide will gather all information into one document, to be distributed across the country.