Halifax air crash voice recording can be disclosed in civil case, Supreme Court rules

OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada says the cockpit voice recording from an Air Canada plane that crashed on a Halifax runway can be disclosed to parties in a class-action lawsuit.

Dozens of people were injured in the March 2015 crash, prompting a lawsuit against Air Canada, plane manufacturer Airbus S.A.S. and others.

A statutory privilege of confidentiality applies to cockpit voice recordings, meaning the authorization of a court or coroner is needed before they can be used in legal proceedings.

Airbus S.A.S. went to court to obtain access to the voice recording, arguing it was necessary for a fair trial — a move the federal Transportation Safety Board opposed.