Minister Blair to visit the Northwest Territories to discuss Budget 2024 and Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence

On the same subject

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  March 15, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Mecaer America will be able to secure its place on the world stage

  The Government of Canada awards $1.2 million in financial assistance to the Laval-based company Mecaer America March 13, 2019 – Laval, Quebec – Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) Mecaer America, Inc. is a leader in manufacturing landing gears for helicopters, regional and business transport aircraft, and military training aircraft. To better meet the needs of its clients and to ensure its growth, the company will receive a repayable contribution of $1.2 million from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. Through that financial assistance, the company will be able to invest in new procedures leading to the creation of a unique, world-renowned centre of excellence for the design, manufacture and qualification of its integrated landing gear systems. Yves Robillard, Member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, announced that funding today. The Government of Canada's assistance will enable Mecaer America to meet the growing global demand for aircraft production, consolidate Greater Montréal's aerospace cluster and better position that cluster on the international stage. The creation of a centre of excellence and the technological transformation of the Laval plant will also generate benefits for Canadian suppliers, from whom Mecaer America makes tens of millions of dollars in purchases each year. Mecaer America is wholly owned by Mecaer Aviation Group (MAG), one of the premier international suppliers of aircraft solutions used in four business lines: actuating and flight control systems, landing gear systems, cabin comfort systems and aviation services. MAG is an Italian company with 600 employees in Italy, Canada and the United States. Mecaer America has been based in Laval since 2002 and specializes in the design, manufacture and qualification of integrated landing gear systems. The Laval subsidiary has 125 highly qualified employees, 20% of whom are devoted to research and development. Workers in the aerospace industry are highly qualified and contribute to the country's economic vitality through their well-paying jobs. This is why the Government of Canada makes strategic investments that enable companies in this sector to increase their knowledge and expertise. Quotes “In line with our commitment to foster growth for the Canadian economy, the Government of Canada's goal is to provide better support for businesses that are making investments to improve their productivity and ensure their growth and that of the Canadian economy.” Yves Robillard, Member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin “As Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, my goal is to help businesses grow and innovate so that they can increase their competitiveness and create good-quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is why we are providing our support to Mecaer America, whose success reflects on the region and on the Canadian economy as a whole.” The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for CED “The financial assistance from both levels of government is essential for our strategic development. It also shows the welcome extended to an Italian company that has made significant investments in Quebec. Thank you to CED for its support.” Chris O'Neill, President, Mecaer America Quick facts Today's announcement is made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio, which is comprised of 17 federal departments and agencies, including CED and the other five regional development agencies. The funding was awarded under CED's Quebec Economic Development Program. To find out more about CED and its priorities, see the 2018–2019 Departmental Plan or visit www.dec-ced.gc.ca. The year 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of federal regional economic development in Quebec: half a century of concrete action targeting the growth of Quebec's regions and businesses. https://www.canada.ca/en/economic-development-quebec-regions/news/2019/03/mecaer-america-will-be-able-to-secure-its-place-on-the-world-stage.html

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  May 10, 2021 | Local, Aerospace

  RCAF looking overseas to fill pilot shortage as commercial aviators stay away

  The RCAF is looking to foreign pilots to help fill shortage as commercial aviators stay away

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  May 6, 2020 | Local, Aerospace

  Canada invests another US$70M in F-35 development despite no commitment to buy

  OTTAWA — The federal government has made another multimillion-dollar investment into the development of the F-35 stealth fighter jet, even as it weighs a new extension to the $19-billion competition to replace Canada's aging CF-18s. Canada made the annual F-35 payment to the U.S. military last week, spending US$70.1 million to remain one of nine partner countries in the fighter-jet project. Each partner is required to cover a portion of the plane's multibillion-dollar development costs to stay at the table. Staying in the program has advantages, as partners get a discount when purchasing the jets and compete for billions of dollars in contracts associated with building and maintaining them. The F-35 is being built by U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin. While the new payment brings Canada's total investment in the F-35 to US$541.3 million since 1997, the government says Canadian companies have also secured US$1.8 billion in work related to the stealth fighter. “This participation provides Canadian industry with contract opportunities that are only available to program participants,” Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier said in an email. “Our membership will also allow us preferential pricing and sequencing in the build schedule should the F-35 aircraft be successful in the current future fighter capability program.” Canada actually started to shoulder more of the development costs last year. That is because the Liberal government increased the number of new fighter jets that Canada plans to buy to 88 from 65, even though it has not committed to buying the F-35. News of the payment comes as the federal procurement department confirmed it was considering another extension to the $19-billion competition to replace Canada's CF-18s. The F-35 is one of three planes in running along with Boeing's Super Hornet and the Saab Gripen. The extension was recently requested by one of the three fighter-jet makers. Public Services and Procurement Canada did not confirm which company asked for the extension, but Boeing had previously left the door open to a request because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We can confirm that we are currently evaluating a request from industry to extend the deadline for preliminary proposals,” Public Services and Procurement Canada spokeswoman Michele LaRose said in an emailed statement. “We remain committed to providing members of the Royal Canadian Air Force with the fighter aircraft they need to do their jobs, and ensuring the best possible value for Canadians.” The three companies were originally supposed to submit their bids at the end of March, but that was pushed back to June 30 following a request by Saab. Despite the pandemic, the federal procurement department insisted last month that it still expected companies to meet that deadline. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020. https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/canada-invests-another-us70m-in-f-35-development-despite-no-commitment-to-buy