Bombardier to expand Canadian operations

Jon Lawson

Bombardier has announced that it has signed a long-term lease agreement with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) to build its new state-of-the art Global Manufacturing Centre at Toronto Pearson International Airport. With preliminary site work underway in Mississauga and first production activities set to begin in 2023, the facility will optimise final assembly operations for all Global business jets, including the Global 7500 business jet.

The Global Manufacturing Centre is approximately 20 km from the current Global aircraft final assembly site at Downsview.

“I'm very excited to announce the relocation of our Global aircraft family production activities to a new, cutting-edge manufacturing facility at Toronto Pearson. This is a strategic move for Bombardier and a strong commitment to Ontario’s aerospace industry. It will allow us to offer world-class career opportunities and continue fuelling the economic development of the region for years to come,” said Alain Bellemare, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bombardier.

The one-million square-foot facility will combine thousands of highly-skilled employees with 21st century production and tooling innovation. Bombardier employs the high technology throughout the manufacturing process of the jets, including a state-of-the-art automated positioning system that uses laser-guided measuring to ensure major aircraft structures, such as the wing and fuselage, are joined consistently and perfectly each time. 

This strengthened commitment to the Greater Toronto Area will also leverage significant recent R&D investments and a continued collaboration with Ontario’s colleges and universities.

Bombardier also confirmed it will continue to support the aerospace heritage of the Downsview site with a multi-million-dollar contribution to the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research Consortium (DAIR) to develop a visionary aerospace hub for academic research and training activities. The contribution includes CA$2.5 million in capital funding to refurbish the historic Moth Building, where wartime Mosquito fighter bombers and Tiger Moth trainers were produced.

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