Laser attacks continue to put the safety of Canadians and flight crew at risk, says a news release from the Canadian government which goes on to announce penalties for those who launch them.
A new measure prohibits the possession of a hand-held laser over 1 milliwatt outside of a private dwelling without a legitimate purpose. This applies to the greater Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver regions and within a 10-kilometre radius around any airport or heliport in Canada. The maximum fines for contravening the rule are $5,000 for an individual and $25,000 for a corporation.
Laser beams shining into airplane cockpits can temporarily blind pilots. (Transport Canada)
Hundreds of cases reported
In addition, anyone intentionally shining a laser into the cockpit of an aircraft could face up to $100,000 in fines, five years in prison or both. Laser attacks distract pilots and can temporarily blind them. The government has used social media campaigns to try to stop such attacks.
In 2017, the transportation department received 379 reports of laser attacks in Canadian airspace and in the first four months of 2018 there were 63.
The government wants feedback on laser use and safety issues and is inviting Canadians to take part in an online discussion forum.
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