The big thing missing from the first page on Racenviper's link is that the 75m distance restriction is LATERALLY from people, vehicles, buildings, etc. No flying at 90m directly OVER buildings, etc even when you're 9km from an aerodrome (not just an airport). It's readable in a link off that first page though. The way the interim order is worded, it's possible to interpret it in such a way that any lake or river that has ever had a seaplane land on it could be considered an aerodrome.
Interim order
Here's the official Transport Canada definition of the center of the 9km no-fly zones for drones over 250g-
"Aerodrome: Any area of land, water (including the frozen surface thereof) or other supporting surface used or designed, prepared, equipped or set apart for use either in whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft and includes any buildings, installations and equipment situated thereon or associated therewith.
Note: This definition of "Aerodrome" includes water aerodrome and heliports."
Previously, I used something like Airmap for no fly zones. This only included airports and aerodromes like heliports registered with Transport Canada but not all heliports. DJI doesn't recognize the hospital heliport in their software that I've seen but it's in Airmap To further cloud things, there's a Coast Guard heliport in a harbour near me. It's not listed in Airmap _or_ DJI's software as a no-fly zone because it's not an "official" one registered (or licensed or recognized or whatever the proper term is) with Transport Canada like the local hospital's heliport is. You can bet that it's considered an aerodrome under the new legislation though, and the existing software is useless to tell you where to fly.
What isn't clear (to me at least) is whether this includes anybody's house on a river that has a float plane, or possibly any water surface that's ever been "used...in whole or in part for the arrival, departure, movement or servicing of aircraft". It doesn't say anything about having to be a registered heliport or aerodrome or how often it is used. I bet it means no until there's a possible complaint, leaving recreational flyers open to essentially random fines of up to $3000 based on unknowable unlisted "aerodromes".
Got a business nearby that has visits from helicopters occasionally and an X painted on the ground? 9km. Got a neighbour way out in the country that has an ultralight hidden in his barn that he launches from his mowed pasture twice a year? 9km. Got a float plane that occasionally visits the remote lake you own a cottage on? 9km.
Picture this scenario. You're flying by yourself in a legal flying zone with no buildings, vehicles, or people around. Some hothead thinks you MIGHT be doing something illegal because, you know, it's a drone, and comes up to you and chews you out for no reason. You have to bring your drone in because you can't fly it properly and keep your eyes on it it at all times because some jerk is chewing you out. You hit RTH to be able to talk calmly without distractions with this guy as quickly and easily as possible. Your drone lands within 75m of him, naturally, because RTH is right beside you and since he's already called 911 to report you like the Minister of Transportation told him to, you get a fine from the nice friendly policeman because an upstanding citizen reported illegal drone use, which wasn't happening until he came up and complained about it.
This is poorly worded draconian legislation that could possibly turn even the best informed recreational flyer with the best of intentions into a law breaker unless they're flying at an event sanctioned by the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada.
