Transport Canada suspended the air operator's certificate (AOC) of West Wind Aviation (Saskatoon) on December 22, 2017, as a result of an investigation related to the crash of the airline's ATR 42-320 on December 13 in northern Saskatchewan.

"The department took this serious action in the interest of public safety because the department identified deficiencies in the company’s Operational Control System," Transport Canada explained in a statement.

C-GWEA (msn 240) crashed shortly after take-off from Fond du Lac, SK, Saskatchewan, en route to Stony Rapids. While all 25 passengers survived, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board subsequently launched an investigation.

The regional specialist suspended all ATR - Avions de Transport Régional operations immediately after the crash but had hoped to resume them shortly after December 18. Transport Canada's decision effectively blocked this move.

"Transport Canada identified deficiencies during a post-accident inspection of West Wind Aviation from December 18 to 20, 2017. As a result, in the interest of public safety, Transport Canada suspended West Wind Aviation’s Air Operator Certificate and will not allow the company to resume its commercial air service until it demonstrates compliance with aviation safety regulations," it added.

West Wind Aviation currently operates one additional ATR 42-320, three ATR 42-300s, two DHC-6-300s and two -200s, one DHC-6-100, four Beech 1900Cs, five Beech 1900Ds, five Beech (twin turboprop) King Air 200s, three Cessna (twin piston) 401s, one Cessna 414, and two Jetstream 31s. According to the ch-aviation capacity module, the regional specialist operates scheduled passenger flights mostly in the northern part of Saskatchewan, predominantly out of Prince Albert. It also operates cargo and charter flights.