Montréal, February 17, 2016 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is aware of the difficult decisions made by Bombardier to improve its performance and strengthen its financial position and applauds the letter of intent for the purchase of a possible 75 CS300 aircraft announced today by Air Canada.
“The difficult decisions Bombardier management had to make in eliminating 7000 jobs will strengthen the company in the final stages leading up to the commercialization of C Series aircraft,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “We now see how strategic the support provided this fall by the Government of Quebec was, as Bombardier starts the commercialization phase for its new aircraft. We are confident that once this transition year is behind Bombardier, it will have the leeway to resume projects that were put on hold because of the C Series and be able to start hiring again.”
“The Board of Trade would like to congratulate Air Canada on having chosen C Series aircraft to renew its fleet,” Michel Leblanc said. “We are proud that Air Canada, one of the top airlines in the world, which has its head office in Montréal, is using this letter of intent to confirm that it will have one of the youngest, most energy-efficient fleets in the world. This announcement, in addition to Transport Canada’s recent certification of the CS100, shows that the C Series is indeed at the commercialization phase. We hope that other carriers follow suit and choose Bombardier’s C Series models.”
“The city’s business community calls on the Government of Canada to show economic leadership and immediately grant Bombardier financial assistance of US$1 billion, matching the amount that the Government of Quebec invested,” Michel Leblanc said. “The company needs this assistance to eliminate any remaining concerns among carriers interested in the C Series. It is in the whole country’s interest to see this flagship of Canadian entrepreneurship complete one of the most ambitious commercial innovation projects in Canada in recent decades.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration, and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to businesses of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
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Source:
Guillaume Bérubé
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4042
gberube@ccmm.qc.ca
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Twitter: @chambremontreal
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