Government of Quebec Announces Over $47M to Support Four Major Aerospace Projects

Montréal, April 21, 2023 – At Aéro Montréal’s Annual General Assembly, Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development, and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region, announced over $47.45 million in financial contributions to support four major projects in Quebec’s aerospace sector. These significant investments aim to foster the development of new technologies tied to the aircraft of the future and sustainable mobility. The announcement was made at the École nationale d’Aérotechnique, in the presence of more than 200 aerospace industry leaders.

Supporting Collaborative Innovation to Develop Quebec’s Aerospace Sector

As Aéro Montréal reviewed the cluster’s 2022 achievements and highlighted the success of its Eco-Responsibility initiative to support SMEs in adopting more sustainable practices, the Government of Quebec reaffirmed its commitment to supporting responsible collaborative innovation.

By supporting the implementation of these four major projects, with total investments estimated at over $94.9M, the Government of Quebec is enabling eight companies to combine their efforts to carry out the development of products, technological solutions, and innovative processes, while also engaging universities, public research centres, and SMEs. It should be noted that these projects were selected following a government call for proposals launched in July 2022 to support the development of technologies related to the transportation of tomorrow, with stream 3 specifically aimed at supporting projects tied to aircraft-of-the-future technologies. The planning, monitoring, and management of activities related to these projects will be carried out by SA²GE, the Consortium for Research and Innovation for a Greener Aircraft.

“Quebec’s aerospace industry stands out for its ability to innovate, particularly in the area of sustainable mobility. With these major projects, we are taking another step toward propelling this world-class ecosystem while ensuring the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec and internationally,” stated Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development, and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region.

“To remain competitive, Quebec companies must invest in innovation. The Government of Quebec’s support is a strong signal to our members, who have been committed for several years to contributing to a more sustainable economy and innovating to ensure better accessibility to Quebec products and services, including in remote regions,” explained Mélanie Lussier, President and CEO of Aéro Montréal.

“We must take advantage of the opportunity we have in Quebec to rely on such a well-developed network of companies, researchers, and research institutes to create synergies among stakeholders and put forward ever more innovative solutions aligned with the current needs of our society.”

Highlights of the Supported Major Projects

AQUAREL 3 Project – Flying Whales Québec Inc. and Thales Canada, Avionics

Flying Whales Québec Inc. and Thales Canada, Avionics are joining forces under the AQUAREL 3 project. The partners will continue developing control systems to be integrated into Flying Whales Québec Inc.’s airship, the LCA60T — a next-generation aircraft designed for point-to-point transport of heavy or oversized cargo in remote or landlocked areas, while minimizing its environmental footprint. This major project will allow both partners to develop an ultra-compact electric flight control system and a state-of-the-art connected avionics suite.

CADAQ-100 Project – Airbus Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and SAF+ Consortium

The CADAQ-100 project brings together three Quebec-based companies — Airbus Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and the SAF+ Consortium — to promote greater use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). The collaborative project will study and test multiple SAF varieties, including 100% “neat” SAF flight tests on the Airbus A220 powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines. The project will also focus on e-SAF produced through the Power-to-Liquid (PtL) electrofuel process and will conduct economic feasibility studies to establish a commercial SAF production plant in Quebec, providing a local and sustainable facility to help decarbonize the aviation sector, which is the ultimate goal of the SAF+ Consortium.

CMC Electronics Inc. and Bell Textron Canada Ltd. Project

The proposal by Bell Textron Canada Ltd. and CMC Electronics Inc. involves developing systems that will enable autonomous hybrid-electric logistics missions. The objective of this project is to develop a portfolio of technologies that will increase energy efficiency, adapt to air traffic management systems, and enhance the safety of future autonomous aircraft.

SCAF Project – Bombardier Inc. and Thales Canada, Avionics

The SCAF project (Control System for the Aircraft of the Future), carried out in collaboration between Bombardier Inc. and Thales Canada, Avionics, aims to create a control platform for the aircraft of tomorrow with a reduced environmental footprint. The project focuses on developing a modular test bench for embedded systems, on which new control architectures will be tested, in order to optimize aircraft weight, volume, and onboard power requirements, and to enable new approaches to designing aircraft with superior environmental performance.

“SA²GE, the Consortium for Research and Innovation for a Greener Aircraft, is proud to contribute to the development of aircraft-of-the-future technologies thanks to the expertise of its partners,” said Ghislain Lafrance, President of the Consortium. “Collaborative, large-scale innovation remains the driving force of aerospace, a key sector in Quebec’s economic development.”

Aéro Montréal’s Annual General Assembly was also an opportunity to highlight the cluster’s many achievements in 2022, as well as the strong involvement of industry members in the various working groups and committees: over 410 hours of work, representing an estimated total contribution of nearly $860,520.

About Aéro Montréal

Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that brings together top executives from Quebec’s aerospace sector, including industry, academic institutions, research centres, associations, and unions. Aéro Montréal’s activities are made possible thanks to the participation of the Governments of Canada and Quebec, the Montréal Metropolitan Community, and the cluster’s member companies.

Media Contacts

Léa Guicheteau
Aéro Montréal
514-550-7494 – lea.guicheteau@aeromontreal.ca

Mathieu St-Amand
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy
418-691-5650