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Government announcement
30 May 2016

$510 Million for the Aerospace Industry : “Our government has demonstrated its commitment to this modern, competitive industry which is a source of...


Today, the Premier of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, accompanied by the Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, Dominique Anglade, launched Quebec’s 2016-2026 Aerospace Strategy. The government of Quebec has committed itself to invest $510 million to support the aerospace industry for the next five years, while implementing the Strategy. Economic benefits of $2.8 billion are forecast.

The aerospace industry is an economic driver for Quebec. System integrators, maintenance crews, suppliers and skilled labourers work together in this field, in which more than 200 Quebec-based companies have made their mark in the global economy, employing more than 40,000 people in Quebec. This Strategy proposes concrete measures in response to the concerns which have been expressed by the industry, and offers stakeholders effective tools so that the industry can continue to maintain its usual standard of excellence throughout the world. Our priority is – and will continue to be – to encourage and to support the creation of innovative projects.

– Philippe Couillard

Montreal, May 30, 2016 – In order to continue to grow, the aerospace industry must continue to see to it that its workforce is highly developed, become a cutting-edge 4.0 industry, and introduce greater innovation in order to develop new products and procedures. In order to assist all stakeholders in overcoming these challenges, four main areas of intervention, ten objectives and thirty measures have been identified. The Government of Quebec will:

  1. Reinforce and diversify the structure of the industry;
  2. Support the growth of the industry by supporting projects and investing in the workforce;
  3. Accompany small-and-medium-sized businesses in their development;
  4. Focus on innovation.

In order to take full advantage of future economic opportunities, Quebec must follow major global trends and consider the issues that they raise – in particular, for innovation and for workers. By adopting our Strategy, our government wants to make the aerospace industry among the most innovative, competitive and diversified in the world.  The Strategy was developed with the goal of reimagining the future and giving the aerospace industry a boost so that we can ensure that it remains prosperous over the long term.

– Dominique Anglade

In the process leading up to the drafting of the Strategy, the Government of Quebec consulted 35 organizations (companies, organizations, educational institutions, a CEGEP technology transfer centre, and unions). This learning opportunity allowed us to collect more than 150 proposals, which were then analyzed and summarized, and finally, the industry had an opportunity to ratify them on March 7 at the Rendez-vous de l’aerospatiale, which brought together 60 key stakeholders.

Quebec’s aerospace industry includes nearly 190 companies and employs more than 40,000 workers. In 2015, annual sales in the industry rose to $15.5 billion. More than 80% of Quebec’s production in this industry is exported, and approximately 70% of Canadian research and development in the field takes place in Quebec. It should be noted that, under the auspices of its last aerospace strategy, the Government of Quebec, from 2006 to 2016, invested more than $700 million to support corporate projects worth $5.7 billion. For this new strategy, the Government of Quebec has committed to a budget of $250 million for the first five years of its implementation.

To consult Quebec’s 2016-2026 Aerospace Strategy, please visit www.economie.gouv.qc.ca/aerospatiale.