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Aerospace

Canada’s Soaring Aerospace Sector

Canada’s aerospace industry is winging its way to unprecedented profitability. Canadian firms have earned loyal customers around the world for delivering leading-edge and advanced technology solutions on time and at a competitive cost. Canada’s aerospace leaders are renowned for civil and military aircraft, flight simulators, airborne defence systems and aftermarket services. The country’s global share of aerospace activity has tripled in the last 20 years, making Canada the world’s 5th largest aerospace producer.

The future looks equally bright thanks to Canada’s low business costs and sophisticated R&D infrastructure, including rich tax credits and a national Institute for Aerospace Research. Canada also enjoys a knowledge advantage, with one of the best educated workforces in the world. Throw in a business friendly regulatory environment, 20-year patent protection and industry clusters in cosmopolitan urban centres offering an exceptionally high quality of life, and the sky is the limit for the next generation of aerospace innovation.

Look what Canada has to offer:

  • 400 firms employ a highly skilled workforce of 82,000 people
  • 80% of domestic production is exported – 60% of it to the U.S.
  • 80% of industry output is non- military
  • 20 universities offer advanced degrees in aerospace and aerospace engineering
  • 3,000 aerospace graduates stream out of Canadian universities and colleges each year

Canadian Aerospace Excellence

Regional and corporate aircraft

Canadian-based Bombardier is a global leader in regional and business aircraft. Its CRJ Regional Jet is used by over 60 airlines worldwide, with over 1500 in active service.

Gas Turbine Engines

Canadian firms satisfy one-third of global demand for small gas turbine engines. Pratt & Whitney Canada announced a $1.5 billion five-year R&D initiative in December 2006 to support new product development.

Commercial Flight Simulators/Visual Simulation

Canadian-made products hold a 70% world market share for visual simulators. Canadian firms are global leaders in the design and manufacture of large flight simulators, visual systems and flight training devices.

Commercial Helicopters

Canada represents one quarter of the world market for civil helicopters. Bell Helicopter Textron, based in Montreal, is the world’s leading producer of rotary wing aircraft. Eurocopter Canada Ltd., a division of EADS, has manufactured helicopters at Fort Erie, Ontario since 1984.

Landing Gear Manufacturing

Canada has nearly one-third of the world market for landing gear, including manufacturing 60% of new large aircraft landing gear. The sector is one of the largest in the world, made up of Canadian-owned, foreign-owned and multi-national aircraft landing gear companies. The vast majority of their products and services are exported.

Aircraft, engine and component Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)

More than 1,100 certified Aircraft Maintenance Organizations generate over $3B in annual revenues and employ 17,000 highly skilled workers. Canadian firms have developed a comprehensive array of MRO service capabilities for rotary wing aircraft spanning virtually all models of helicopters produced in North America and Europe.

Clusters of Creativity

Centres of aerospace excellence can be found in all corners of the country. British Columbia is gaining global notice for program management, engineering, maintenance, material and information systems support for military fleets; maintenance, repair and overhaul to rotary and all fixed-wing aircraft; helicopter services. Alberta and Saskatchewan boast expertise in the maintenance, repair and overhaul sector; an emerging centre for unmanned vehicle systems; and, excellence in after-market products and services. The two provinces are also home to a number of world class defence electronics companies and have strong capabilities in satellite systems. And Canada’s Atlantic region is recognized for maintenance, repair and overhaul sector, helicopter services; gas turbines; software development, system integration, training and simulation.

World renowned industry clusters are found in:

Montréal
Montréal is the hub of Canada’s largest aerospace sector. In 2007 alone, Montréal’s aerospace exports totalled over $9.8 billion. The city is globally recognized for its expertise in aircraft assembly, engine manufacturing, maintenance overhaul and repair, avionics and landing gear. Over 42,400 employees work in Québec’s aerospace sector at such firms as Bombardier Aerospace, Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Rolls-Royce Canada, and CAE. Montréal is also the site of more than ten aerospace research centers, including the Canadian Space Agency, the Aerospace Manufacturing Technology It is also headquarters for international organizations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and the Organization of International Civil Aviation ( ICAO).

Toronto
Toronto is the core of Canada’s second largest aerospace cluster, centred in southwestern Ontario. More than 200 companies employ in excess of 20,000 skilled workers. Toronto hosts world-leading aerospace firms such as Bombardier Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Honeywell Canada, L-3 Electronic Systems, Magellan and Northstar Aerospace, recognized globally for their strengths in aircraft parts manufacturing, aircraft systems development, and maintenance and overhaul. The University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Study and Ryerson University’s Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation collaborate with industry partners on numerous R&D projects and develop the next generation of skilled sector workers to generate ongoing industry innovations.

Winnipeg
Winnipeg is home to the largest aerospace cluster in Western Canada and a major centre within North America for composite aircraft component manufacturing, and aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul. The cluster directly employs 5,300 people. It is led by four world-class firms, Boeing Technology Canada, Standard Aero, Magellan Aerospace Limited and Aveos, as well as 23 established regional and national firms. Winnipeg is also one of Boeing’s ten major global sites for commercial aircraft, one of only three such sites outside the U.S. Boeing’s composite manufacturing facility, located in Winnipeg, is the largest such facility in North America.