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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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  January 17, 2019 | Local, Aerospace

  Airbus n'écarte pas la possibilité d'assembler des avions de chasse au Québec

  La Presse canadienne Airbus n'écarte pas la possibilité que le Québec puisse accueillir une chaîne de montage d'avions de chasse ainsi qu'un lieu destiné à la construction de satellites si le géant européen parvient à décrocher de nouveaux contrats au Canada. Ces scénarios ont été évoqués lundi par le président des activités canadiennes de la multinationale, Simon Jacques, lors d'un événement organisé par la multinationale à Mirabel, dans les Laurentides, où s'effectue l'assemblage des appareils A220, nés de la C Series de Bombardier. Airbus convoite notamment l'appel d'offres du gouvernement canadien, qui devrait être lancé avant le début de la prochaine campagne électorale, pour l'achat de 88 avions de chasse visant à remplacer ses CF-18 vieillissants. Airbus propose l'Eurofighter Typhoon. « Absolument », a répondu M. Jacques lorsqu'il lui a été demandé si la chaîne de montage pourrait se trouver au Québec. « Nous évaluons nos options. » En plus d'Airbus, les entreprises Boeing, Lockheed Martin et Saab ont été retenues par le gouvernement canadien. « La construction d'une nouvelle ligne d'assemblage, qui entraînerait la création de nombreux emplois, ne serait pas un casse-tête logistique étant donné qu'il y a de l'espace de disponible à Mirabel, dans les Laurentides, où s'effectue l'assemblage de l'avion A220 », a expliqué M. Jacques. Puisque l'appel d'offres devrait imposer du contenu local, le dirigeant d'Airbus au Canada a dit vouloir proposer une « solution canadienne ». Déjà un lien L'actionnaire majoritaire de l'A220 a décroché son premier contrat d'envergure en 2016 avec Ottawa, qui lui a commandé 16 avions de recherche et de sauvetage, une entente de 2,4 milliards de dollars, en plus de 2,3 milliards en entretien et service après-vente pour 20 ans. Le premier de ces appareils doit être livré d'ici la fin de l'année. Les CF-18 mis en service dans les années 1980 devaient être retirés d'ici 2020, mais leur remplacement s'est transformé en une longue saga. Il y a six ans, le gouvernement Harper a abandonné dans la controverse son projet d'acheter des avions de chasse F-35 sans appel d'offres pour remplacer cette flotte vieillissante. Le gouvernement Trudeau, qui avait par la suite décidé d'acheter 18 avions Super Hornet à Boeing également sans appel d'offres, a annulé cet achat en 2017 dans la foulée du conflit commercial entre Boeing et Bombardier à propos de la C Series. D'ici à ce que ce contrat se concrétise, Ottawa s'est tourné vers l'Australie pour acheter des avions de chasse provisoires. D'après M. Jacques, le Canada est « vraiment engagé » à « stimuler la concurrence », ce qui pourrait ouvrir une porte à un autre constructeur que l'américaine Boeing. « Je pense que c'est important pour le Canada d'avoir une flotte différente de ce qu'il y a aux États-Unis [avec Boeing], a-t-il dit. [Cela serait] une bonne chose pour le NORAD [Commandement de la défense aérospatiale de l'Amérique du Nord]. » Citant l'exemple du Royaume-Uni, qui est client d'Airbus et de Lockheed Martin pour sa flotte, M. Jacques a soutenu que rien n'empêchait le Canada de faire de même. Des satellites en plus? Parallèlement au dossier des avions de combat, le dirigeant d'Airbus a mentionné que l'entreprise pourrait se tourner vers le Québec pour la construction de satellites si sa proposition est retenue par Télésat Canada, un exploitant de satellites de télécommunication. Cette entreprise avait sollicité des offres à Airbus et à Thales pour le lancement en orbite « d'entre 300 et 500 satellites », selon M. Jacques, dans le cadre d'un projet entourant l'accès à Internet. « Cela viendrait changer la donne au Québec », a-t-il lancé, en évoquant au passage la création de quelque 200 emplois. Airbus dit échanger avec différents ordres de gouvernement, dont Québec et Ottawa, dans le but de s'installer dans la province si la multinationale obtient le contrat. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1146770/airbus-possibilite-assembler-avions-chasse-quebec

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  June 30, 2020 | Local, Naval

  Canada awards contract to support Halifax-class ship maintenance

  As outlined in Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping the Canadian Armed Forces with modern and capable equipment needed to support its operations. As outlined in Canada's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is committed to equipping the Canadian Armed Forces with modern and capable equipment needed to support its operations. This includes supporting the Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) fleet of combat vessels to ensure they remain operationally effective and capable until the transition to its future fleet is complete. Today, the Government of Canada announced the award of an in-service support contract to Fleetway Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Valued at $72.6 million for the first six years, with options to extend for up to 22 years, this contract will provide a full range of technical data management and systems engineering support services for the RCN's fleet of Halifax-class ships. This contract will secure an expert team to store and manage thousands of critical ship documents, in addition to producing complex designs to support the installation of new equipment on board the ships. Their specialized knowledge and skills will make sure key information is up-to-date to support maintenance teams, and will enable the maintenance of the Halifax-class operational capability in support of CAF missions. Awarded as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, this contract will ensure that the RCN and supporting shipyards continue to have the technical data required to support ongoing ship maintenance during planned docking work periods, while also providing local economic benefits. Work for the contract began in April 2020, and will continue until the fleet is retired in the early 2040s. This contract is expected to sustain an estimated 140 Canadian jobs. Quotes “The women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces deserve the best equipment and tools available. By investing in our fleet of Halifax class frigates, we will be able to provide our members in uniform what they need to continue advancing peace and security around the world. Our government's defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged is delivering real results for Canadians and those who protect us.” The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence “The National Shipbuilding Strategy continues to support the members of the Royal Canadian Navy and is reinvigorating the marine industry. This engineering service contract award to Fleetway Inc. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, will help provide our navy with safe, reliable ships to carry out their important work on behalf of the Government of Canada, while also creating jobs and generating significant economic benefits in the regions of Canada.” The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement “Our Halifax-class frigates remain the backbone of our Navy, enabling us to maintain our presence at sea both at home and abroad. As we continue to transition to our future fleet, it is essential that we continue to foster an environment that enables the RCN to keep our frigates floating, moving, and fighting. Fleetway Inc. brings world class technical data management and systems engineering support services which will help to ensure the RCN is ready to help, ready to lead and ready to fight.” Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy “Nova Scotians are deeply proud of the women and men in the Canadian Armed Forces, and it's fitting that companies across the province are providing important support to the National Shipbuilding Strategy. This contract with Fleetway Inc. will keep skilled workers employed here at home, while supporting the Canadian Armed Forces in their work abroad.” Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Quick facts An initial contract of $72.6 million has been awarded to Fleetway Inc. for their services. It will be amended over the contract period based on the amount of work required for a total value of up to $552 million. This type of contract is fully compliant with our Sustainment Initiative, which ensures performance, value for money, flexibility, and economic benefits. This contract is one of more than 100 existing support contracts required to effectively support maintenance of the Halifax-class. This new in-service support contract will replace the services provided by Fleetway Inc. through the previous in-service support contract that will expire in October 2020. The new contract was awarded through an open, fair, and transparent procurement process. All technical documentation, manuals, and engineering drawings of ship systems/equipment must be regularly updated to track any changes following maintenance or upgrades. This information is used to help monitor the state of the ship, and is also used by maintenance crews to support ongoing work. Halifax-class ships monitor and control Canadian waters, defend Canada's sovereignty, facilitate large-scale search and rescue activities, and provide emergency assistance when needed. The ships operate with and integrate into the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and coalitions of allied states in support of international peace and security operations. Introduced into service in the 1990s, the Canadian-built Halifax-class ships were recently modernized to remain operationally effective and relevant until the Canadian Surface Combatants enter into service. The Canadian Surface Combatants will replace the Halifax-class frigates and the retired Iroquois-class destroyers, and will ensure the RCN has modern and capable ships to monitor and defend Canada's waters, to continue to contribute to international naval operations for decades to come, and to rapidly deploy credible naval forces worldwide on short notice. https://www.miragenews.com/canada-awards-contract-to-support-halifax-class-ship-maintenance/