12 octobre 2018 | Local, Aérospatial, Sécurité

Une entreprise de l'île de Vancouver fait progresser l'innovation dans le secteur de l'aérospatiale et les technologies de lutte contre les incendies

L'investissement obtenu permettra à l'entreprise de créer jusqu'à 15 nouveaux emplois de haut calibre à l'échelon local et de décrocher des occasions d'affaires internationales

PORT ALBERNI, BC, le 11 oct. 2018 /CNW/ - Les Canadiens bénéficieront d'une industrie de l'aérospatiale plus dynamique et de meilleures technologies aériennes de lutte contre les incendies de forêt, en partie gr'ce au nouvel investissement accordé à une entreprise de la Colombie-Britannique qui se spécialise dans la fabrication d'avions bombardiers d'eau.

Aujourd'hui, la ministre des Services publics et de l'Approvisionnement et de l'Accessibilité et présidente du Comité spécial du Cabinet chargé des efforts fédéraux de rétablissement après les feux de forêt de 2017 et de 2018 en Colombie-Britannique, l'honorable Carla Qualtrough, a annoncé, au nom du ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique, l'honorable Navdeep Bains, l'octroi d'un investissement remboursable de près de 3,4 millions de dollars à Coulson Aircrane Ltd., une petite compagnie dans le domaine de l'aviation établie à Port Alberni, en Colombie-Britannique.

Cet investissement contribuera à créer de bons emplois pour la classe moyenne et à consolider la place de Coulson au sein de la chaîne d'approvisionnement de l'industrie de l'aérospatiale. Le projet favorisera la collaboration avec des établissements postsecondaires, permettra aux travailleurs d'acquérir des compétences clés et sera une source de nouvelle propriété intellectuelle pour le Canada.

Ce financement aidera Coulson à mener à bien son projet inédit de recherche-développement (R-D) mettant en jeu la conversion d'appareils Boeing 737 en avions à double usage -- à la fois bombardiers d'eau et transporteurs de passagers -- qui pourront servir à la lutte contre les incendies au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde.

L'investissement est octroyé par l'entremise du Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation, un programme qui vise à attirer et à soutenir des investissements commerciaux d'envergure dans tous les secteurs de l'économie en encourageant la R-D qui accélère le transfert des technologies et la commercialisation de produits, de processus et de services novateurs, et facilite la croissance d'entreprises novatrices.

Citations

« L'appui offert par notre gouvernement à Coulson Aircrane démontre notre engagement à l'égard du secteur canadien de l'aérospatiale -- un secteur qui contribue énormément à l'économie nationale sur le plan de l'innovation et des emplois bien rémunérés. En investissant dans des projets novateurs comme celui de Coulson, nous créons de nouvelles occasions pour les Canadiens d'un océan à l'autre. C'est ce à quoi sert le Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation : investir dans l'innovation aujourd'hui pour les emplois de demain. »
-- Le ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique, l'honorable Navdeep Bains

« Les compagnies novatrices comme Coulson Aircrane ont un rôle crucial à jouer dans le plan de notre gouvernement pour favoriser la croissance économique et créer des emplois bien rémunérés de classe moyenne pour les Britanno-Colombiens. Cette entreprise est un chef de file mondial dans le domaine des avions bombardiers d'eau et un exemple parlant du travail de qualité supérieure qui est réalisé dans cette région par les gens hautement talentueux de la Colombie-Britannique. La mise au point de cette technologie novatrice permettra de mieux protéger nos forêts contre les incendies et d'accroître l'efficacité de la lutte contre les feux de forêt en assurant le transport simultané de personnel et de produits ignifuges. Il s'agit d'une démonstration remarquable du leadership du Canada dans une économie axée sur les technologies. »
-- La ministre des Services publics et de l'Approvisionnement, l'honorable Carla Qualtrough

« Coulson Aviation se réjouit de l'annonce faite par la ministre Qualtrough d'un appui du gouvernement du Canada à l'innovation au pays. Cet investissement a été capital pour notre projet de conversion des avions de ligne en avions-citernes, appareils qui seront utilisés aussi bien pour le transport de passagers que pour la lutte contre les incendies. Les travaux de conversion ont été réalisés ici, à l'aéroport de Port Alberni et représentent 140 000 heures de travail pour les membres de la collectivité. Nous sommes fiers du fait qu'à l'automne, les avions-citernes récemment modifiés pourront être mis en service et serviront à la lutte contre les incendies de par le monde. Et nous avons aussi entrepris la conversion d'un autre appareil. »
-- Le président-directeur général du Coulson Group, Wayne Coulson

Les faits en bref

  • Coulson Aircrane est une entreprise familiale spécialisée dans le domaine de la lutte aérienne contre les incendies de forêt. L'entreprise travaille avec des organismes de lutte contre les incendies au Canada, aux États-Unis et en Australie.
  • Le secteur canadien de l'aérospatiale englobe 700 entreprises, injecte directement près de 12,6 milliards de dollars dans le PIB du Canada et emploie plus de 85 000 Canadiens.
  • Le Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation est un programme polyvalent qui prend en compte la diversité de l'innovation dans tous les secteurs de l'économie.
  • Outre le Fonds stratégique pour l'innovation, des centaines de programmes et de services sont en place pour aider les entreprises à innover, à créer des emplois et à stimuler l'économie du Canada. Gr'ce à son interface utilisateur simple, la plateforme Innovation Canada permet aux entreprises de raconter leur histoire et d'accéder, en deux minutes environ, à l'information sur les programmes et les services qui leur conviennent le mieux.

Suivez Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada sur Twitter : @ISDE_CA

SOURCE Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada

Renseignements : Nilani Logeswaran, Attachée de presse par intérim, Cabinet du ministre de l'Innovation, des Sciences et du Développement économique, 613-668-1794; Relations avec les médias, Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada, 343-291-1777, ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/une-entreprise-de-lile-de-vancouver-fait-progresser-linnovation-dans-le-secteur-de-laerospatiale-et-les-technologies-de-lutte-contre-les-incendies-696992471.html

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