A comprehensive resource for safe and responsible laser use

Canada: List of many Canadian incidents

A story in the Vancouver Sun by Lori Culbert lists many Canadian incidents in recent years (2005-2009). Her reporting was based in part on searching Transport Canada's online reporting system CADORS. Culbert's list of incidents includes:
  • A Cessna pilot flying over downtown Vancouver on May 25 2009, who had "flash blindness for a few seconds"
  • More than two dozen reports of lasers being directed at airplanes in British Columbia since 2000.
  • About 100 incidents of laser beams pointed at aircraft across Canada, since 2005.
  • A Cessna pilot in June 2008 who "experienced slight vision impairment, and for safety reasons requested a wide left-hand 270-degree turn ... for brightness recovery and a stabilized approach".
  • A helicopter co-pilot in November 2007 who looked at a laser and "was experiencing sun spots [sic] in her vision, which continued for the remainder of the flight."
  • At least three incidents, two in June and one in November 2008, where Royal Canadian Mounted Police pilots were targeted.
  • In July 2008, a Calgary man was fined $1000 after pleading guilty to shining a laser at an Air Canada flight.
Even more incidents are in the full story.

Culbert's story also lists the first attack LaserPointerSafety.com is aware of on a blimp: "A green light was pointed into the cockpit of a blimp over Victoria's [B.C.] shoreline in October 2005. [CADORS reported that] 'several laser attempts were made and the pilot said he was affected twice. Quite aggressive attempts were made by the person using the laser light according to the pilot.' "