Bombardier Inc. has started preliminary work on a $350-million manufacturing facility after signing a decades-long lease with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to build its flagship private jets on airport land.
The Montreal-based plane and train manufacturer on Wednesday announced it agreed to a 38-year lease with the airport authority, a move chief executive Alain Bellemare told the Financial Post was a strong commitment to Ontario’s aerospace industry and skilled workforce.
“That is a very significant investment we’re going to be making here,” Bellemare said at a media event at a Mississauga, Ont. hangar alongside government, airport and union officials.
Production is scheduled to begin in 2023 at the high-tech facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport, just 20 kilometres from the Downsview facility where the Global series jets and Dash 8 turboprops are currently assembled.
About 3,000 employees work on the Global jets, with the number of workers expected to remain stable after the move to Pearson, Bellemare said. Unifor National president Jerry Dias, whose union represents the Downsview workers and was initially concerned the sale would mean job cuts, praised the announcement as an example of what Canada needs to do keep good-quality jobs and compete on the world stage.
(Financial Post)
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