The Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification (WD), has announced federal funding for a two-year, multi-faceted project that will support Western Canadian aerospace companies as they develop their supply chains and compete in global markets.
The funding, which totals $533,840, will be administered by Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC), the national association representing Canada’s aerospace manufacturing and services sector.
The funding will used for seven specific projects designed to strengthen Western Canadian involvement in domestic and international aerospace-related events. It will also be used to enhance market access and supply chain development opportunities for Western Canadian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
“Our Western Canadian companies are leaders in their fields and critical to the success of Canadian aerospace both domestically and around the world,” said Jim Quick, AIAC president and CEO. “As the fifth-largest aerospace nation in the world, Canada is at its strongest when each region enjoys the support and collaboration that it needs. We are very pleased to collaborate with WD and our other partner organizations to ensure the Western aerospace industry is in a position to take full advantage of current and future opportunities to enhance its competitiveness.”
The announcement came on the heels of the federal Aerospace Review, the release of the Emerson and Jenkins Reports, and the inclusion of several important aerospace initiatives in the federal government’s 2013 Economic Action Plan.
As the world’s fifth-largest aerospace industry, Canada’s aerospace sector generates more than $22-billion and is responsible for the employment of 160,000 Canadians.
AIAC represents the interests of over 700 aerospace companies across Canada.
