Incident at Thunder Bay, Ontario - 45 nm north (ATS operating irregularity)

1996-11-05: ACA143 (Air Canada EA320) was enroute from Ottawa to Edmonton at FL390. C-GAJS was enroute from Winnipeg to Montreal, climbing to FL370. The two aircraft were proceeding in opposite directions in the Superior sector of the Ontario specialty, approximately 45 nm north of Thuder Bay airport. At 0215Z, when the aircraft were 81 nm apart, C-GAJS requested and received clearance for an altitude change from FL370 to FL410. At that time, the controller assessed that the aircraft's tracks would be laterally separated. When the aircraft were approximately 15 miles apart, the controller became aware that the required five miles of radar separation or 2,000' of vertical separation would not be achieved. The controller turned C-GAJS right 30 degrees and descended ACA143 to FL370. The aircraft passed with 5.58 miles of radar separation and 1,400' of vertical separation so there was no loss of separation. ACA143 reported that he did not received a TCAS alert but was able to see the traffic on the TCAS equipment.