23 février 2018 | Local, Aérospatial

Silicon Valley-style innovation clusters to include aviation companies

Canada's aviation and aerospace industries will play a key role in the creation of innovation superclusters similar to Silicon Valley.

Air Canada and PAL Aerospace are among hundreds of companies involved in creating five superclusters across Canada, with a $950 million investment from the federal government that will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the private sector.

“We think this is important for Canada,” said Catherine Dyer, chief information officer for Air Canada, in an interview with Skies.

“We really view ourselves as a leader in this space, and to build capability in this part of the country, and more broadly for Canada, are two things that we think go very nicely together.”

Air Canada will be part of the Quebec-based SCALE.AI supercluster, which aims to use artificial intelligence and robotics to build intelligent supply chains, making Canada a world-leading exporter.

“Our hope around this is that it will help us become more efficient in how we deal in our operations excellence program, as well as in our cargo business,” said Dyer.

“But from my perspective it has got probably further-reaching opportunities in terms of how we enable employees and customers in creating that Air Canada experience that we're all very focused on.

“So most immediately it's going to be focused on the logistics components of our business. But we do believe that artificial intelligence, more generally, has got some fairly broad-reaching implications for our company.”

Air Canada was a key player in creating the supercluster submission in late 2017 and sees its involvement as a step toward becoming a global leader in supply chain management.

SCALE.AI includes 120 partners across Canada from a wide range of industries, including transportation, telecommunications, mining, food, and oil and gas.

“We [Air Canada] would be looking at how we could use artificial intelligence to help us see things maybe we don't see when we're looking at it with human brains,” said Dyer.

“That really is the purpose of artificial intelligence, is to take the collective wisdom of many people, and the computing power of machines, and apply it to the business problems that we have today.”

Air Canada plans to use artificial intelligence to develop new tools that allow it to better manage cargo capacity, resulting in better customer service.

“Timeliness is essential when shipping fresh products and employees will have better tools to forecast the need for space in temperature controlled facilities, facilitate tracking and ensure timely delivery,” said Isabelle Arthur, senior media relations manager for Air Canada, in a statement.

“Air Canada already uses artificial intelligence in revenue management, to forecast aircraft maintenance, in marketing, in elevating customer experience and communications by partnering with government, universities in Toronto and Montreal to help Canada retake a leadership position.”

PAL Aerospace will be part of the Ocean Supercluster in Atlantic Canada, which plans to use innovation to improve competitiveness in ocean-based industries like fisheries, oil and gas, and clean energy.

The company will design and execute projects that encourage collaboration with other supercluster members, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and academic institutions, said Derek F. Scott, vice-president of program development for PAL Aerospace, in a statement to Skies.

“We aim to use supercluster initiatives to advance our digitalization objectives in our modern ocean surveillance programs such as the ice management services we continue to provide the oil and gas industry today,” he said.

“In addition, we intend to use the program to advance opportunities to strategically insert other entities such as SME companies into our solution and supply chain for our domestic and international customers.”

He noted Canada has the longest coastline in the world, which spans some of the most challenging ocean environments, including the North Atlantic.

“Innovation is a solution to challenge, and Canada has an ocean of opportunity to drive innovation into technologies and capabilities that contribute to Canada's economic growth, sustainability and export growth,” said Scott

“PAL Aerospace is a leading example of how ocean innovation contributed to its success and the Ocean Supercluster initiative will now give us an opportunity to capitalize on that strength and create even more success for PAL Aerospace and for those companies and entities that work with us on the program.”

Along with the SCALE.AI and Ocean superclusters, three others are planned:

The Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster in Ontario, which aims to connect Canada's technology strengths to its manufacturing industry;
The Protein Industries Supercluster, based in the Prairies, which intends to make Canada a leading source for plant proteins; and
The Digital Technology Supercluster, based in British Columbia, which will use big data and digital technologies to unlock new potential in sectors like healthcare, forestry and manufacturing.

More than 450 businesses, 60 post-secondary institutions and 180 other participants are involved in the five supercluster initiatives, according to a government news release.

It's expected the superclusters will create 50,000 middle-class jobs and grow Canada's economy by $50 billion over the next 10 years.

https://www.skiesmag.com/news/silicon-valley-style-innovation-clusters-include-aviation-companies/

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9 janvier 2019 | Local, Aérospatial, Sécurité

Le ministre Garneau dévoile le nouveau règlement du Canada sur la sécurité des drones
Les pilotes de drone doivent immatriculer leurs drones et obtenir un certificat de pilote d'ici le 1er juin 2019 Le 9 janvier 2019 Ottawa (Ontario) Transports Canada Transports Canada est résolu à améliorer la sécurité de l'aviation et du public tout en encourageant l'innovation et la croissance économique dans le secteur des drones. Aujourd'hui, l'honorable Marc Garneau, ministre des Transports, a annoncé le nouveau règlement du Canada pour les systèmes d'aéronefs télépilotés, plus communément appelés drones. Le nouveau règlement qui entrera en vigueur le 1er juin 2019 s'applique à tous les pilotes de drone faisant voler des appareils pesant entre 250 grammes et 25 kilogrammes dans leur champ de vision direct, que ce soit pour le plaisir, le travail ou la recherche. Le nouveau règlement simplifié est le fruit de consultations substantielles menées auprès des Canadiens et de l'industrie. Le règlement définitif instaure deux catégories principales d'opérations de drones : les opérations de base et les opérations avancées. Les catégories reposent sur la distance entre l'appareil et les personnes au sol et sur les règles relatives à l'espace aérien. Chaque catégorie a son propre ensemble de règles faciles à suivre, qui obligent le pilote de drone : à immatriculer son drone et y marquer son numéro d'immatriculation; à passer un examen en ligne et obtenir un certificat de pilote pour les opérations de base ou les opérations avancées; à avoir au moins 14 ans pour les opérations de base et 16 ans pour les opérations avancées, à moins d'être supervisé par une personne titulaire des certificats appropriés; à rester à une altitude inférieure à 122 m (400 pieds) au-dessus du sol; à rester loin du trafic aérien. Seuls les pilotes de drone qui doivent faire voler un drone sans respecter les règles des opérations de base ou des opérations avancées devront demander un certificat d'opérations aériennes spécialisées (COAS) avant de pouvoir voler. Transports Canada encourage les pilotes de drones à prendre le temps nécessaire pour examiner et comprendre parfaitement les nouvelles règles visant les drones au Canada et à suivre un cours offert par une école de pilotage de drone avant de tenter de passer un examen en ligne ou une révision en vol. Les pilotes de drone devront être en mesure de présenter leur certificat de pilote et leur preuve d'immatriculation lorsqu'ils font voler leur drone dès le 1er juin 2019. Cela veut dire qu'ils peuvent en avoir des copies électroniques sur leur appareil mobile ou des copies imprimées. Transports Canada a également créé un site Web amélioré et convivial pour fournir des renseignements sur le nouveau règlement ainsi que des outils utiles pour tous les pilotes de drone, à l'adresse : Canada.ca/securite-drones. Les nouveaux services de drone de Transports Canada sont maintenant disponibles sur notre site Web. Nous invitons les pilotes de drones à créer leur compte en ligne dans le Portail de gestion des drones pour y accéder facilement et en tout temps. Jusqu'à ce que le nouveau règlement entre en vigueur, le 1er juin 2019, les pilotes de drone à des fins récréatives doivent continuer de respecter les règles énoncées dans l'arrêté d'urgence visant l'utilisation des modèles réduits d'aéronefs et les pilotes qui utilisent leur drone pour le travail ou la recherche doivent continuer de respecter les conditions de leur certificat d'opérations aériennes spécialisées. Tous les pilotes de drones doivent également respecter le Code criminel ainsi que la réglementation municipale, provinciale et territoriale. Compromettre la sécurité d'un aéronef est une infraction grave. Toute personne qui enfreint la réglementation risque des amendes additionnelles pouvant atteindre 25 000 $ ou une peine d'emprisonnement, ou les deux. Ces sanctions s'appliquent aux drones de toutes tailles et à tous les types d'utilisation. Citations « Nous avons été attentifs aux commentaires des Canadiens et avons mis à jour notre règlement afin de trouver le juste milieu entre l'aspect pratique et l'utilisation sécuritaire des drones. Les drones appartiennent à un secteur économique important et prometteur qui est susceptible d'améliorer nos vies et de relier les collectivités de tout le pays. Notre nouveau règlement créera de nouvelles possibilités pour les Canadiens en établissant un cadre réglementaire sécuritaire et prévisible qui permettra à l'industrie d'innover et aux pilotes de drone à des fins récréatives, et autres, d'accéder en toute sécurité à l'espace aérien canadien. » L'honorable Marc Garneau Ministre des Transports https://www.canada.ca/fr/transports-canada/nouvelles/2019/01/le-ministre-garneau-devoile-le-nouveau-reglement-du-canada-sur-la-securite-des-drones.html
6 juillet 2020 | Local, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

New NAFTA comes into force Canada Day amid tariff threats, COVID-19 uncertainty
BY CORMAC MACSWEENEY Posted Jun 30, 2020 9:17 am MDT OTTAWA – The new NAFTA will come into effect on Wednesday amid the economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The negotiations caused months of fear in business and economic circles, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to pull out of the trade agreement both our economies and Mexico rely on. But after ratification earlier this year, the new NAFTA — formally the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement — comes into force appropriately on Canada Day, bringing with it protections for the auto parts sector, more American access to our dairy market, stricter labour rules for Mexico, and measures to reduce the prices of pharmaceutical drugs. Colin Robertson with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute says this deal gives businesses confidence that Canada still has privileged access to our largest trading partner, but the COVID-19 pandemic has left a lot of questions about the future of our economies. “What it will depend on will be the growth of both economies' ends. The pandemic puts the big question mark on recovery and what that means for the future, so that one I can't answer,” he says. Meanwhile, Marc Agnew with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the COVID-19 pandemic may delay some of the benefits we get from this deal. “I don't think the new NAFTA is going to, necessarily, have a chance to really show its true value, probably until two or three, four years down the line,” he explains. However, Agnew believes this is a vital deal, regardless, because it will give businesses in Canada the security and confidence to plan for the years ahead. He adds the moment is soured by Trump once again threatening tariffs on Canadian aluminium. “It runs exactly counter to both the kind of spirit and the intent of what we're trying to do with this agreement,” Agnew says. Canada and the U.S. do $2 billion in trade a day. The USMCA is expected to bring modest gains to Canada's economy, with close to a $7-billion boost in the next five years, “It's still the biggest, single bilateral trading relationship in the world,” Robertson notes. https://www.660citynews.com/2020/06/30/new-nafta-canada-day-tariff-threats-covid-19/
24 mars 2020 | Local, Aérospatial

Bombardier suspends Canadian operations
Bombardier recently announced that in light of provincial shutdowns by the governments of Ontario and Quebec, the OEM would be suspending production of its business aircraft, effective at the end of the business day on March 24. The production halt will also include its rail operations and will stay in effect until at least April 26. On March 23, both Ontario and Quebec announced the shutdown of all non-essential work within the provinces to “flatten the curve” of the spread of COVID-19. Ontario's shutdown is poised to last two weeks, while Quebec's will last until at least April 13. Bombardier's line of Challenger aircraft, along with a number of aircraft components, are produced in Quebec at sites in Dorval and Mirabel, while most of the company's Global line — including the Global 5500, 6500 and 7500 — are produced at the company's Downsview facility near Toronto, Ont. The company said in a statement that all employees impacted by the shutdown will be placed on furlough, while Bombardier's CEO Alain Bellemare, along with its senior leadership team, have agreed to forgo “board compensation” for the rest of 2020. “Since the coronavirus outbreak, the company has been focused on keeping our employees safe, serving our customers to the best of our ability during these difficult times and taking the necessary actions to protect our business for the long term,” said Pierre Beaudoin, chairman of Bombardier's board of directors, in the statement. “In addition to the actions announced today, Bombardier has cut all discretionary spending, is continuing the work on closing the previously announced transactions and is pursuing additional measures to enhance liquidity.” According to Reuters, employees at Bombardier's Downsview facility were sent home early on March 23 after a contractor tested positive for the coronavirus. The worker had gotten sick a week earlier, and had stopped going into work and has since received the positive test. In the same statement announcing the production halt, Bombardier also announced it will be suspending its financial outlook for 2020. Undoubtedly a tough turn of events for the Canadian manufacturer, who have made recent strides to help combat the company's overwhelming debt. Earlier this year the company announced the sale of its stake in the C Series with Airbus (now named the A220 program), and the sale of its rail division to the French company Alstom. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/bombardier-suspends-canadian-operations

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