Liberal government increases secrecy over multibillion-dollar defence purchases

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  October 10, 2018 | Local, Aerospace

  Ex-Quebec premier Jean Charest to pilot aerospace industry relaunch plan

  Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press MONTREAL -- Canada's aerospace industry has appointed former Quebec premier Jean Charest to chart a new course for the sector. The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada is putting Charest in the cockpit to coax funding commitments and a long-term plan from the federal government amid fears the country's star is fading. "The industry has come to the conclusion that we sort of need a reset in terms of what the future of the industry is in Canada," Charest said in a phone interview from Paris. "There is a sense that we're in a world where there's much more competition. And it's not that we're doing badly, but the world is really moving fast." Charest, a former federal minister who served as premier of Quebec from 2003 to 2012, highlighted government's "very critical role" in funding, research and training for civil and defence aviation. "The Trump administration has decided to create a new division for space," he noted, referring to a newly announced military branch the U.S. president has dubbed Space Force. "We can't stand still," Charest said. Jim Quick, president of the aerospace industry group, said Canada is "not keeping up" with the sector growth and innovation of countries such as France, Germany and the United States, which have long-term strategies in place. Britain is targeting 10 per cent of the global space market within 12 years, he pointed out. Luxembourg aims to dig into space mining such as harvesting asteroid's for rare and precious metals. Quick said the new initiative, called Vision 2025, will push Ottawa to include a long-term space plan in its budget next year, alongside a commitment to help provide advanced robotics for the Lunar Gateway -- described as a third-generation Canadarm. Charest, a partner at the McCarthy Tetrault law firm, will lead discussions with government and industry officials in several cities, including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax, culminating in a report on aerospace priorities. Aerospace leads Canada's manufacturing sector in innovation-related investment, spending over $1.8 billion on research and development in 2017 -- nearly one-quarter of total manufacturing research expenditures, according to the association. Nonetheless, Ottawa's investments in space as a percentage of GDP have dropped to 18th globally from eighth place in 1992, according to the association. The sector's manufacturing employment has fallen by five per cent since 2012. Canada hosts the world's fifth-largest aerospace industry, contributing nearly $25 billion to Canada's economy and almost 190,000 jobs in 2017, the association said. https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/ex-quebec-premier-jean-charest-to-pilot-aerospace-industry-relaunch-plan-1.4127569

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  October 1, 2020 | Local, Naval, C4ISR, Other Defence

  Terrestrial Energy and L3Harris Technologies to Develop IMSR Generation IV Nuclear Power Plant Simulator

  GlobeNewswire OAKVILLE, Ontario and MONTREAL, Sept. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Terrestrial Energy has awarded L3Harris Technologies a contract to develop an engineering and operator training simulator for the Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR®), a Generation IV nuclear power plant. The IMSR power plant simulator is being built at L3Harris' operation in Montreal, Quebec and will be delivered to Terrestrial Energy's Oakville, Ontario facility in 2021. It will provide Terrestrial Energy with a high-fidelity platform to simulate and visualize all major IMSR reactor and power plant functions. The simulator will support Terrestrial Energy's engineering activities and, subsequently, operator training as development moves to licensing and construction prior to plant commissioning. “We are applying our high-performance computing and reactor simulation capabilities to IMSR power plant development,” said Rangesh Kasturi, President, Maritime International, L3Harris. “This effort will result in Terrestrial Energy obtaining its first simulator for the IMSR power plant equipping its engineers with a dynamic, integrated and real-world tool to support IMSR deployment.” “L3Harris' simulator provides an extraordinary real-world experience of the IMSR power plant operation and performance. It supports our engineering activities, operator training programs and future IMSR deployments,” said Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy. “This digital technology illustrates how high-performance computing enables Generation IV innovation capable of providing cost-competitive, reliable, resilient and clean electric power and industrial heat.” In addition to modeling and testing the integrated engineering simulator, L3Harris will provide its state-of-the-art Orchid® simulation environment and training to Terrestrial Energy for further simulator development. This aspect of the contract is a result of L3Harris' Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) commitments to Canada through its participation in the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) on the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships program with Irving Shipbuilding. “This investment in Terrestrial Energy is another example of the National Shipbuilding Strategy at work creating investment in people and businesses across the country to ensure Canadians are benefitting from coast to coast to coast,” said Kevin McCoy, President of Irving Shipbuilding. “Through the Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship construction program and the Canadian Surface Combatant program, spending commitments to date have generated positive economic impacts for hundreds of businesses and organizations that are creating world-class innovation and research across the country.” The ITB commitment requires identifying new opportunities that benefit Canadian industry when any work is performed outside of Canada on the NSS. The ITB program ensures that 100 percent of the value of a significant defence contract is spent in Canada, and this creates a strong link between our naval programs and the creation of innovation in our energy sector. About Terrestrial Energy Terrestrial Energy is a developer of Generation IV advanced nuclear power plants that use its proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR®) technology. IMSR technology represents true innovation in cost reduction, versatility, and functionality of nuclear power plants. IMSR power plants will provide zero-carbon, reliable, dispatchable, cost-competitive electric power and high-grade industrial heat for use in many industrial applications, such as chemical synthesis and desalination, and in so doing extend the application of nuclear energy far beyond electric power markets. They have the potential to make important contributions to industrial competitiveness, energy security, and economic growth. Their deployment will support rapid global decarbonization of the primary energy system by displacing fossil fuel combustion across a broad spectrum. Using an innovative design, and proven and demonstrated molten salt reactor technology, Terrestrial Energy is engaged with regulators and industrial partners to complete IMSR engineering and to commission first IMSR power plants in the late 2020s. terrestrialenergy.com About L3Harris Technologies L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers' mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 48,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/globe-newswire-releases/terrestrial-energy-and-l3harris-technologies-to-develop-imsr-generation-iv-nuclear-power-plant-simulator

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  November 13, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Winners of 2019 AIAC awards honoured at Canadian Aerospace Summit

  Industry winners of three annual awards recognizing aerospace achievement, innovation, and excellence were honoured at the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada's Canadian Aerospace Summit. The 2019 winners are: James C. Floyd Award – Marc Parent, CEO of CAE Industry Excellence Award for Lifetime Achievement – John Saabas Industry Excellence Award for Small Business Innovation and Technology – Avior Integrated Products “The winners of this year's awards are champions of Canadian aerospace whose vision and achievements have strengthened the industry, making it more innovative and competitive both in Canada and in the global marketplace,” said Jim Quick, president and CEO of AIAC. “We are proud to celebrate their achievements, and on behalf of AIAC's board of directors and members, I thank them for their leadership and dedication to our industry.” About the Winners: James C. Floyd Award – Marc Parent, CEO of CAE Marc Parent is the CEO of CAE Inc. Under his leadership, CAE went from a company that was heavily in debt and trailing its competitors to one that is today the foremost provider of aviation and healthcare training services in the world. A true Canadian success story on the world stage, CAE has customers in 190 countries and over 10,000 employees around the world (nearly half of them in Canada). Parent is also a passionate champion for Canadian aerospace success. He has served as chair of AIAC and Aero Montreal, and he has participated in numerous government round tables and advisory boards to promote Canadian aerospace growth and achievement. Under his leadership CAE has offered nearly 3,000 co-op and internship positions to Canadian students, and through his efforts as part of the Business-Higher Education Roundtable (BHER), it is estimated that 2,500 students across the country will have access to similar work-integrated learning opportunities. His efforts to create a culture of openness and diversity resulted in Randstad naming CAE Canada's 2nd best employer brand in 2018, and in 2019 CAE launched Women in Flight, a scholarship program that encourages more young women to become pilots. Named after the chief designer of the Avro Arrow, the James C. Floyd Award recognizes visionary individuals or teams whose outstanding achievements have contributed to the success of the Canadian aerospace industry. The 2019 award was sponsored by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada. Industry Excellence Award for Lifetime Achievement – John Saabas Holding a PhD in aerodynamics from McGill University, John Saabas spent 35 years at Pratt & Whitney Canada, including the last ten years as president, until retiring from the company earlier this year. His legacies of innovation, sustainability, and collaboration have had a profound impact on Canada's aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Pratt & Whitney Canada achieved a leadership position in all markets, with a portfolio of more than 64,000 engines in service and 13,000 customers worldwide. It certified over 100 engines during a 25-year period, and it expanded and transformed its global manufacturing capabilities, developing operations in China, Poland, the Mirabel Aerospace Centre, and the advanced manufacturing cells. Over the 10-year period of Saabas' leadership, his visionary commitment to greener, more sustainable aviation industry led to significant reductions by Pratt & Whitney Canada in greenhouse gas emissions and industrial process waste, non-recycled waste and water consumption. The company also launched the PW800 business aviation engine, which achieved double-digit improvements in fuel burn, emissions, and noise. As an industry leader, Saabas sought to leverage innovation and research to advance change in aerospace, and championed collaboration between all players of the Canadian aerospace cluster – including small and medium sized companies and universities — as an essential part of the industry's competitiveness. The Lifetime Achievement award is presented to an individual whose distinguished lifetime achievement through the exploration, development or utilization of aviation, space, or defence have led to their wide recognition as a “champion” of aerospace industry. Winners are celebrated for their outstanding leadership, commitment, promotion and consistent contribution to the continuous development of aerospace in Canada. The 2019 award was sponsored by L3Harris. Industry Excellence Award for Small Business Innovation and Technology – Avior Integrated Products Avior Integrated Products is a full-service manufacturer of lightweight structures and complex mechanical assemblies. The company has leveraged its fabrication capabilities in advanced composite details and complex machined components to become a competitive Tier III/II integrator of aircraft structures. Avior customers include leading aerospace manufacturers including Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Mitsubishi and Viking. In providing a competitive solution for its customers the company has invested significantly in creating a culture of innovation and introducing new technologies. In the last two years Avior commissioned its first robotic machining center, with another to follow shortly; launched its own Business Intelligence software system; converted two of its three business units into paperless production environments; and more recently, installed a collaborative robot to assist with certain shop-floor operations. The company's culture of innovation is supported by a dynamic team focused on execution and providing nimble and effective solutions. The transformation of the business is an on-going process and will include the introduction of AI technology in the administration areas of the company in the coming year. Avior has grown by 35 per cent in 2019 and is forecasting 20 per cent growth in 2020 in large part due to the benefits of transitioning to an Industry 4.0 business. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/winners-of-2019-aiac-awards-honoured-at-canadian-aerospace-summit