Airbus marks five years of operation in Canada
by CM Staff
Airbus says it is experiencing remarkable growth in its Canadian activities in various sectors, including commercial aircraft, helicopters, defence and space.
MONTRÉAL — As part of the International Paris Air Show, the festivities marking the fifth anniversary of Airbus Canada Limited Partnership (Airbus Canada) and the addition of the A220 to the wide Airbus family officially took off. Since its establishment in Quebec on July 1st, 2018, Airbus says they have contributed more than 4,000 employees outside Europe, generating approximately 23,000 indirect jobs in Canada. In five years, Airbus says their investments have totaled nearly C$1.8 billion. Airbus says it is experiencing remarkable growth in its Canadian activities in various sectors, including commercial aircraft, helicopters, defence and space.
“The integration of the A220 programme in 2018 marked a major milestone for Airbus. Over the past years, our A220s have connected more than 90 million people with their loved ones – thanks to our Quebec-designed and assembled aircraft. The A220 now operates on over 1,100 routes to more than 375 destinations. To date, the more than 260 A220s in service have flown more than a billion kilometres, and that’s just the beginning,” says Benoît Schultz, CEO of Airbus Canada. “At Airbus, our vision is to transform the future of the aerospace industry by pushing the boundaries of innovation and sustainability. We are committed to creating leading-edge aerospace solutions that meet our customers’ needs, while reducing our environmental footprint. Together, with our talented team and our Canadian and global partners, we are building a smarter, low-carbon, more connected future.”
Each A220 is made up of parts sourced from around 60 Canadian suppliers, including 40 in Quebec. This contribution supports the strength of the aerospace industry’s supply chain. In five years, some C$10 billion has been spent with local suppliers.
After recruiting more than 700 new people at its facilities in Canada in 2022, Airbus has announced the need to fill 800 positions across the country in 2023.
Since July 1st, 2018, Airbus has delivered around 185 aircraft from Mirabel, over 80% of which have been exported outside Canada, making a significant contribution to Canadian exports. When full production capacity is reached around the middle of the decade, it is estimated that more than 100 aircraft per year will be exported.
By the middle of the decade, the organization plans to ramp up the A220 production rate to 14 aircraft per month. The addition of a 125,000 sq. ft. pre-assembly area in Mirabel last year, and the inauguration of a new A220 assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, in 2020, support this acceleration of production rates.
