Launch of the 2nd phase of the SA2GE project for the development of greener aircraft
MONTRÉAL, Thursday, October 6, 2016 – Aéro Montréal welcomes the announcement made today by the Government of Québec which gives the go-ahead to the launch of the second phase of the greener aircraft mobilizing project (SA2GE).
Dominique Anglade, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, and Jean-Marc Fournier, Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie and Government House Leader, jointly announced that after a request for proposals launched at the end of 2015, five projects have been selected. Between now and March 2020, Bombardier, CAE, Esterline CMC Electronics, TeraXion and Thales Canada will undertake strategic initiatives for Québec's aerospace industry as part of the SA2GE project.
“Aerospace is a global industry that is growing quickly,” said Fassi Kafyeke, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SA2GE Coalition for Greener Aircraft and Senior Director, Strategic Technology and Advanced Product Development at Bombardier. “Environmental impacts, including on climate change, are an opportunity for aviation to play a leadership role. The impact of SA2GE is therefore strategic for our companies since the solution lies in the development and demonstration of new technologies for cleaner and quieter aircraft. In the next 5 to 10 years, its impact will be felt through the launch of new products and the establishment of world-class centres of excellence in Québec.”
“Support for the development of technologies at the demonstration stage is a catalyst for innovation,” said Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal and board member of the SA2GE Coalition for Greener Aircraft. “On behalf of all the companies that will participate in Phase 2 of this mobilizing project over the next four years, including many SMEs, we thank the Government of Québec for its support and vision. Technological innovation plays a critical role in the fight against climate change, and our industry is making it a priority.”
Building on the outstanding results of the first phase, the industrial partners in SA²GE welcome the renewed support of the Québec government for the launch of this second phase. This support, included in the 2015-2016 Budget, is part of the Québec Aerospace Strategy and the 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan.
The five selected companies will marshal the considerable resources of SMEs in Québec’s aerospace sector, as well as universities and research centres, to develop innovative technological solutions. The work will focus, among others, on manufacturing, avionics, optics and analyzing big data. The commercialization of products and services that will result from these technologies will facilitate adaptation to new environmental standards and a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in aerospace, in Québec and internationally.
According to Dominique Sauvé, Director of the SA2GE project, “Québec is taking advantage of its distinctive characteristics, namely the presence of major aerospace players. SA2GE is leveraging this advantage by transforming the culture of innovation, both in large companies and in SMEs.”
The SA²GE project is part of so-called “mobilizing” projects for Québec. It was established in 2010 by the government as part of the Québec Research and Innovation Strategy (QRIS). The first phase involved six large companies, 28 SMEs, and 16 universities and research centres in Québec. The economic impact will be significant because in 10 years’ time, the commercialization of the technologies developed through Phase 1 is expected to generate the equivalent of 6,000 job years for a total of $2.8 billion in sales in Québec.
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About Aéro Montréal (aeromontréal.ca)
Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal is a strategic think tank that groups all major decision makers in Québec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions.
Aéro Montréal’s mission is to engage Québec's aerospace cluster with a view to increasing its growth and expansion on the global scene. Its vision is to become a benchmark in global aerospace. To this end, it champions the following values: excellence, engagement, collaboration, versatility and innovation.
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Gwenaël Brisé
Communications Manager
Aéro Montréal
Cell: 438 497-3857 | Off: 514 987-9395
gwenael.brise@aeroMontréal.ca