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Former Deputy Prime Minister and Québec Premier Jean Charest officially launched Vision 2025: Beyond our Imagination, at the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada’s (AIAC) 2018 Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa, Ont., this week.
Charest will lead the initiative which will convene industry leaders, government representatives, members of the public, and other stakeholders for a cross-country series of discussions about the future of aerospace in Canada, starting on Dec. 10 in Toronto, Ont.
“We need to come together and chart a course for Canadian aerospace. Global competition has never been fiercer, and we’re at a turning point where Canada must step up to compete, or risk being left behind,” said Charest, who delivered the keynote speech at the Summit’s Annual Aerospace Dinner on Tuesday (Nov. 13). “I look forward to engaging with industry leaders and hearing their insights, expertise and opinions on how we can come together and ensure a strong, vital aerospace sector that will propel Canada’s economy now and in the future.”
Charest will be leading Vision 2025 engagement days in key aerospace communities across Canada, including:
- Toronto – Dec. 10
- Montreal – Dec. 13
- Vancouver – Jan. 10
- Halifax – Jan. 17
- Winnipeg – Jan. 28
While Canada’s aerospace sector ranks fifth globally and contributed nearly $25 billion to the national economy and almost 190,000 jobs in 2017 alone, a comprehensive strategy to guide the country’s investment in the sector has not been proposed for decades. Vision 2025 will culminate in a report and recommendations that reflect input gathered from the Charest-led discussions in cities with strong aerospace presence, and will provide recommendations to spur growth in the aerospace sector.
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Charest involved in this special initiative, and excited to see where Vision 2025 takes our industry over the next decade,” said Jim Quick, president and CEO of AIAC. “We know that Canadian aerospace is at a critical juncture, and we need a long-term strategy and investment to keep Canada at the forefront of the global aerospace sector.”
