Canada’s Aerospace Industry Hosts Successful Toronto Election Town Hall

ORONTO (ONTARIO), October 3, 2019 –  The Aerospace Industry of Canada (AIAC) hosted the third in a series of Vision 2025 Election Town Hall meetings today in Toronto.

Vision 2025 Chair, the Hon. Jean Charest, former Deputy Prime Minister and Quebec Premier moderated the all-candidate debate on the future of Canada’s aerospace sector.

“It’s been a pleasure moderating these town halls. Canada’s aerospace sector stands as one of our country’s proudest achievements, providing nearly 215,000 jobs and $25.5 billion annually to the Canadian economy.   It’s an industry that should not be taken for granted,” said Mr. Charest.

Today’s Election Town Hall featured high profile candidates from all major parties and was the latest step in AIAC’s Vision 2025 initiative.  Launched just over a year ago, Vision 2025 chair Jean Charest held cross-country consultations that resulted in the release of the report Charting a New Course in June 2019. 

The report recommends six key priorities for prosperity, and a number of areas for further collaboration between Canada’s government and aerospace industry partners.  The report is a roadmap to ensure Canada will be a leader in an increasingly fierce competitive global economy.

The six priorities are:

• Building the most skilled and talented workforce in the world;
• Ensuring small and medium-sized businesses thrive and grow;
• Using innovation to capture new opportunities, including carbon-neutral flight and unmanned vehicles;
• Investing to maintain Canada’s status as a world-class regulator;
• Leveraging Canada’s role at the forefront of space;
• Maximizing defence procurement and government partnerships to drive new industrial growth.

“Through Vision 2025 we have been travelling the country for over a year now engaging our members and the 200,000 employees that depend on aerospace.  We’ve met with provincial governments, stakeholders and the public.  We’re committed to doing our part to focus attention on ensuring Canada’s aerospace sector has the ability to compete and succeed in the future,” said Jim Quick, President and CEO of AIAC.

Candidates participating in the Town Hall included: The Honourable John McKay of the Liberal Party, Hon. Erin O’Toole of the Conservative Party, Saranjit Singh of the NDP, Sara Climenhaga of the Green Party of Canada and David Micalef of the People’s Party of Canada. 
 
More details on VISION 2025 are available at www.aiac.ca/vision2025 (English) or www.aiac.ca/fr/vision2025 (French)                                                                                 

About AIAC:

AIAC is the national association representing Canada’s aerospace manufacturing and services sector.  As the world’s fifth-largest aerospace industry, Canada’s aerospace sector contributes over $25B to the economy in GDP, exports over 70% of its output, and dedicates nearly 20% of its activity to research and development (R&D). Aerospace is responsible for the employment of 213,000 Canadians.

About AIAC Pacific:

The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada founded AIAC Pacific in 2014 to promote and develop aerospace business in British Columbia by acting as an advocate for industry and facilitator with governments. Working in partnership with the Government of BC, AIAC Pacific is helping leverage the unique strengths of British Columbia’s aerospace industry to meet emerging global demand.

Media contact:

Christine Csversko
Manager, Communications & Marketing
Aerospace Industries Association of Canada
(613) 232-4297 x235
ccsversko@aiac.ca
@aiac_news
www.aiac.ca