16 décembre 2019 | Local, Aérospatial
by Ken Pole
The long-overdue replacement of the Royal Canadian Air Force's fleet of Boeing CF-188 Hornets was highlighted Dec. 13 in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's mandate letters to his new cabinet.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, who had the fighter program in his sights throughout his first four years in the portfolio, and Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand, a newcomer to Parliament, have been directed to co-operate on finally getting a contract.
There are three remaining contenders: Lockheed Martin's F-35A Lightning II, Boeing's F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, and the Saab Gripen E/F.
Trudeau's letter to Sajjan makes it clear that new fighters would be part of a renewed commitment not only to national defence, but also to the continental umbrella afforded by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) as well as meeting international commitments through the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
While cabinet veteran Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science & Industry, is not mentioned in Sajjan's letter, he is referred to in Anand's letter, mainly due to his ministry's oversight of industrial spinoffs from the fighter contract.
https://www.skiesmag.com/news/trudeau-directs-ministers-to-cement-fighter-deal
30 mai 2023 | Local, Aérospatial
Babcock Leonardo Canadian Aircrew Training announced IBM Canada as a strategic subcontractor for Canada’s Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program.
22 mai 2019 | Local, C4ISR
Gentec inc. est une PME technologique spécialisée dans le domaine de l'électronique de haute puissance et en gestion de l'énergie électrique. Pour mieux poursuivre ses activités, elle bénéficiera d'une contribution remboursable de 500 000 dollars de Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec. Gr'ce à cette aide financière, Gentec pourra réaliser un projet d'expansion pour augmenter sa productivité et moderniser ses opérations en faisant l'acquisition d'équipements à la fine pointe de la technologie. Ce financement a été annoncé aujourd'hui par Joël Lightbound député de Louis-Hébert et secrétaire parlementaire du ministre des Finances. L'aide du gouvernement du Canada permettra plus spécifiquement de soutenir la croissance de Gentec et de l'appuyer dans son projet d'acquisition et d'installation d'équipements requis pour l'assemblage de composants électroniques sur des circuits imprimés. Fondée en 1959, Gentec inc. est spécialisée dans la conception, la fabrication et la commercialisation de solutions et produits sur mesure. Une équipe d'environ 70 employés est dédiée à la fabrication et à l'assemblage de produits électroniques et électriques. Son service d'assemblage de circuits électroniques est également offert en sous-traitance à un grand nombre d'entreprises. Au total, Gentec emploie près de 130 personnes. Elle prévoit que le projet actuel entraînera la création de 5 emplois et des investissements totaux de plus de 1,3 million de dollars. Le gouvernement du Canada est résolu à soutenir les entreprises canadiennes innovantes. Véritable moteur économique, l'innovation est la clé du succès puisqu'elle génère la croissance dont profitent les entreprises et les collectivités. C'est pourquoi nous nous assurons que les entreprises puissent compter sur des ressources adéquates pour créer des produits novateurs et les commercialiser. https://www.canada.ca/fr/developpement-economique-regions-quebec/nouvelles/2019/05/gentec-pourra-accroitre-sa-productivite-et-poursuivre-son-expansion.html
18 février 2020 | Local, Aérospatial
The Quebec government is defending its decision to invest $30 million in a project to build blimps or airships to transport heavy equipment and supplies to remote areas of the province that lack roads. In June, the government announced it was buying a minority stake in French blimp manufacturer Flying Whales that plans to build a production facility in the Montreal area within five years. The French company is developing a 150-metre-long airship capable of carrying up to 60 tonnes of cargo. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Quebec will join France and China as shareholders in the company founded in 2012. Flying Whales is working with Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) on a propulsion system that would be adapted from existing helicopter turbines. A spokesperson for PWC confirmed the company is a partner in the project, but said it is still too early in the process to add further comment. “I'm not even sure we've signed a contract with Flying Whales, but it's something very different than what's out there and we're always looking to be involved in advanced projects,” said Catherine Cunningham, assistant director, Public Relations and Communications at PWC. However, Quebec opposition parties are demanding access to a study that supports the project, claiming it's not economically feasible. In 2017, the previous Liberal government declined to partner with Flying Whales for a similar project. But the current Quebec government claims the new project is better laid out and is supported by many sources that were not identified. This isn't the first time a company has tried to build airships in the province. In 2015, LTA Aerostructures, a Montreal-based company with American and Canadian backers, announced plans to build a $60 million production facility in Mirabel to build airships capable of transporting up to 70 million tonnes of cargo. However, the plant was never built and the company's website is no longer active. https://www.skiesmag.com/news/quebec-defends-30-million-flying-whales-investment